The Great British Bake Off bounced back from the previous week's minor drop in overnight ratings on Tuesday evening. The latest episode of the cookery competition gained around three hundred thousand viewers from last week to 5.62 million at 8pm on BBC2. BBC1's New Tricks topped the ratings outside of soaps, rising by almost half-a-million punters week-on-week to 6.62m at 9pm for the episode in which Amanda Redman left the popular long-running drama after ten years. 
Britain's Broken Families interested 1.61m at 10.30pm - and failed to interest anyone else by the look of things. On BBC2, The Midwives dropped over one hundred thousand viewers to 2.04m at 9pm. Kanye West's appearance on the new series of Later ... with Jools Holland brought in an audience of six hundred and seventy seven thousand at 10pm. ITV's coverage of The Scum's 4-2 Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen scored, if you will, 4.52m from 7.30pm. On Channel Four, Double Your House For Half the Money appealed to 1.10m at 8pm. The documentary Posh Pawn brought in 1.65m at 9pm, followed by Cutting Edge's Fabulous Fashionistas with 1.13m at 10pm. Channel Five's risible Celebrity Super Spa gathered five hundred and twelve thousand viewers at 9pm. CSI: NY continued with 1.20m at 10pm.
Doctor Who and Sherlock have been added to Hulu Plus. The subscription service, which offers video streaming of TV and movies, has entered a non-exclusive multi-year agreement with BBC Worldwide North America to provide a number of the corporation's popular shows. Richard Hammond's Crash Course is also available to stream for Plus members, starting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Top Gear, [spooks], Luther and Fawlty Towers will be added in the autumn. It was recently announced that BBC America's documentary series The Doctors Revisited will be broadcast in the UK on Watch later this year.
Sir Bruce Forsyth has been tipped to quit Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the 2013 series and be parcelled off into a long-overdue retirement. At least, this is according to a bit of top snitching by one of his, alleged, 'friends'. Yer actual Ronnie Corbett his very bad self has claimed that his eighty five-year-old chum is starting to find the BBC show 'gruelling' each week. 
The diminutive comedian grassed to the Sun like a dirty stinking Copper's Nark, although quite what the hell any of this has to do with him is another matter entirely: 'Bruce seems to thrive on entertaining but whether he will thrive after this series of Strictly I don't know. He must get tired. I think after this series he will give himself a Brucie Bonus. Every Saturday is gruelling. It is really hard going. It is not something I could do each week on Saturday nights now. I enjoy working but only on certain things. Bruce is a special breed and his talents are very diverse as he can dance and play the piano. But Bruce does not walk down the stairs now - he comes down from the side like a dancer.' Corbett has been talked up as Forsyth's potential replacement on Strictly in the past, after he stepped in to front one episode of the show in Forsyth's absence in 2009. He said: 'I tried my hand at Strictly once but it was only for one week. When Bruce called me and told me I was doing it, I nearly fell down the stairs.'
And, speaking of people who should have been put out to pasture years ago, Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan have been announced as joint presenters of the 2013 BBC Sports Personality Of The Year award ceremony, with Sue Barker stepping down from the hosting job after nineteen years. Barker remains as a member of the judging panel and will play 'a major role' in this year's sixtieth anniversary show, the BBC claimed. Barker said: 'It has been an honour to present Sports Personality Of The Year for the last nineteen years and I have loved every minute of it. The BBC have asked me to stay but I had made the decision to downsize my commitments a while ago, and I knew that the time would be right after what was always set to be a magical 2012.' She added: 'I will still be very much involved with the show though, and am looking forward to the sixtieth anniversary celebrations coming up this year. I also of course look forward to continuing my other presenting work on the BBC.' 
The director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater, said: 'It is with a sad heart that we announce that Sue is no longer presenting, having been the mainstay of the Sports Personality Of The Year for almost two decades. This is Sue's decision and one that we all respect. However fans needn't worry, she won't be absent from our screens on the night; bringing some special elements to the show as we look back on what has been another bumper year for UK sport.' She added: 'Sue will also remain very much a key part of our presenting team at BBC Sport, as we prepare for a busy 2014 sporting calendar. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Gabby Logan to the Sports Personality team for 2013, we're delighted to have her on board.' Adding, 'Gabby desperately needs the work since the chances of I Love My Country being recommissioned are about the same as the chances of the BBC reacquiring live football any time soon.'c probably. Barker will work for the broadcaster at Wimbledon and the 2014 Winter Olympics. The 2013 Sports Personality Of The Year ceremony will be broadcast live from the first direct arena in Leeds on Sunday 15 December on BBC1 and BBC1 HD. Also on the panel are BBC head of TV Sport Philip Bernie, executive editor of Sports Personality Of The Year Carl Doran, Radio 5Live presenter Mark Pougatch, newspaper sports editors Alison Kervin, Adam Sills and Dominic Hart, former nominees Kelly Holmes, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Michael Vaughan and chief executive if UK Sport Liz Nicholl. The panel will select the shortlist, and the winner will be decided by public vote on the night. They will also select the winners of the Team of the Year, Overseas Personality of the Year and Coach of the Year awards, and other prizes include the Lifetime Achievement award, the Helen Rollason award, Young Sports Personality of the Year and Unsung Hero.
Gary Lineker his very self, meanwhile, has suggested that David Beckham would be an ideal candidate to join Match Of The Day. Alan Hansen recently announced plans to leave the popular BBC football highlights show after twenty two years following the 2014 World Cup. Although Lineker would like the former England captain to step into Hansen's shoes, Lineker said that he doesn't expect Beckham to move into punditry. So, this is all a bit of a pointless non-story in other words. Figures.
'I'd love to get David Beckham but I think he has made it pretty clear where his career lies,' Lineker told the Sun. 'With Alan about to retire, there is a space for the next big star of punditry - and hopefully we will find him. We are trying lots of different faces and might continue to mix it up more but who knows?' Lineker added that Hansen's presence will be 'missed' on the programme. 'I am going to miss Alan. He has been at the top of his field for twenty years and is brilliant. Being a pundit on Match Of The Day is, by far, the most difficult show to do. There is so very little time between games to get over a valid point and do some key analysis. He does it well - and of course he will be a big miss.' Speaking about the show's changes, Lineker added: 'We are always looking at ways to improve the programme. It's definitely a case of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" as Match Of The Day is a proven, popular formula. Some prefer more analysis and less action, others more action and no analysis. By and large we strike a balance.'
It was a blunder worthy of such fictional, accident-prone broadcasters Ron Burgundy or Alan Partridge, but BBC News presenter Simon McCoy outdid both characters on Wednesday when he presented a report while carrying a stack of photocopier paper – after mistaking it for an iPad. Well, it's an easy mistake to make. No, actually, come to think of it, it really isn't. The broadcaster was fronting a live piece to camera from the BBC newsroom when he picked up a refill pack of A4 paper instead of his more high-tech prop. 
Instead of acknowledging his mistake and swapping the items, McCoy carried on with the report with the batch of paper clearly visible in his hands. His unfortunate error was broadcast in all its glory with a full-length shot, prompting baffled viewers to take to Twitter. Cos, of course, everyone on Twitter is so fucking clever, you know. A BBC spokeswoman later explained: 'This morning as Simon McCoy was preparing to introduce this story, instead of picking up his tablet to hold as he went to air, he mistakenly picked up a ream of paper that was sitting next to it. In the rush of live news, he didn't have an opportunity to swap the items, so simply went with it.' This is not the first time that McCoy has been flummoxed on live television. Last year the presenter was caught resting his head on the presenting desk after what looked like a quick snooze on the early morning shift. In March, McCoy tumbled over his words while presenting a live piece on pandas at Edinburgh zoo. More recently, however, the presenter was praised by many for his 'refreshingly honest' live coverage from outside St Mary's hospital as the world waited for the birth of Prince George, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 'Plenty more to come from here, of course. None of it news because that will come from Buckingham Palace. But that won't stop us,' he told viewers.
Mad Men will be split in two for its final season, AMC has confirmed. The period drama's seventh series will be expanded to fourteen episodes, spread across the next two years. Seven episodes will be broadcast in spring 2014, while the final seven will go out in spring 2015. AMC's Breaking Bad has implemented a similar format for its final season, in which eight episodes were shown in 2012, with the final eight returning last month. 'This approach has worked well for many programmes across multiple networks, and most recently for us with Breaking Bad, which attracted nearly double the number of viewers to its second half premiere than had watched any previous episode,' said AMC president Charlie Collier. 
'We are determined to bring Mad Men a similar showcase. In an era where high-end content is savoured and analysed, and catch-up time is used well to drive back to live events, we believe this is the best way to release the now fourteen episodes that remain of this iconic series.' Creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner added: 'We plan to take advantage of this chance to have a more elaborate story told in two parts, which can resonate a little bit longer in the minds of our audience. The writers, cast and other artists welcome this unique manner of ending this unique experience.' Weiner recently admitted that he is in 'denial' about the drama coming to an end. Oscar-winning Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne has been added to the writing staff for the seventh series, according to Variety. Along with Shampoo and Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan, Lord Of The Apes, Towne's writing credits include Mission: Impossible II and Days Of Thunder.
Sir David Frost's final BBC project is to be made, it has been announced. The broadcaster - who died aged seventy four earlier this month - was said to be 'extremely excited' to be working on a new programme entitled That Was The Year That Was before he died. Michael Grade will step in to present the show in his memory, the BBC has confirmed.
Guests including Ronnie Corbett, Barry Norman and Dame Joan Bakewell will join Grade for the three-part project. Broadcast on BBC Radio 2, the programme will focus on 1963, the year Frost presented That Was The Week That Was. It will look back at news stories that took place during his early career, including the Profumo affair, the Great Train Robbery, James Bond's launch and the assassination of JFK. The programme will begin recording this week, and will be broadcast later in 2013. BBC Radio 2's Bob Shennan told the Torygraph: 'David Frost had agreed to present the recreation of his iconic programme just before his passing, and he was extremely excited about the project. It's fitting that Michael Grade is to front the programme as a tribute to his friend.'
The Sun's former deputy news editor, Ben O'Driscoll, has appeared in court charged with allegedly approving payments in excess of five thousand smackers to police and officials at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital. O'Driscoll sat in the glass-encased dock at Westminster magistrates court, for a brief hearing on Wednesday over charges arising from Scotland Yard's Operation Elveden inquiry. 
He is accused of conspiring with Sun journalists and public officials, including Broadmoor staff and police officers, to extremely commit misconduct in public office between 9 August 2007 and 11 January 2011. Prosecutors have alleged that O'Driscoll authorised payments of at least five grand for 'details about police incidents and crime, including information about high-profile individuals and those associated with them' and information about the health and activities of Broadmoor patients. Judge Emma Arbuthnot sent O'Driscoll, who now works for the Daily Scum Mail, for a preliminary hearing listed for Wednesday afternoon at the Old Bailey. O'Driscoll, wearing a maroon tie and black suit, made no comment as he left the court building. His lawyer, Stephanie Roe, told the court that he 'wants this matter dealt with as soon as possible.' He has been released on unconditional bail. O'Driscoll became the fourteenth current or former Sun journalist charged in connection with Operation Elveden when the Crown Prosecution Service announced its decision to bring charges on 12 September.
Meanwhile, eight other people, including the former managing editor of the Sun, have appeared at the Old Bailey in connection with alleged naughty and corrupt payments by newspapers. It is alleged Graham Dudman authorised payments to public officials. The eight also included an ex-Daily Mirra journalist, a police officer and a prison officer. The charges were brought under the Metropolitan Police's investigation Operation Elveden. The eight defendants appeared side by side in the dock up a'fore the beak and spoke only to confirm their names. Their bail was continued and the case adjourned for a plea and case management hearing on 22 November. Dudman, of Brentwood, is now an executive at News UK. He has been charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. It is alleged that in September 2002 he requested the authorisation of payments of three thousand knicker to one or more police officers in exchange for information relating to ongoing police investigations. It is also claimed that between June 2002 and December 2007, Dudman authorised payments to public officials relating to the health of a Broadmoor patient, details of an incident at a hospital and details of an incident relating to army combat. It is further alleged that he approved a payment requested by John Troup, a former journalist at the Sun, for information relating to the death of a prison inmate. Troup, of Saffron Walden, has been charged as a co-conspirator. He was excused from attending the brief preliminary hearing along with Marc Alexander, a former prison officer at HMP Holloway in North London.
Among those who did appear in court on Wednesday was prison officer Grant Pizzey, and his partner Desra Reilly, both from Eltham, who are alleged to have received almost twenty thousand smackers from former Daily Mirra journalist Greig Box Turnbull for over forty pieces of information about incidents which took place at HMP Belmarsh, where Pizzey worked. Box Turnbull, of Morden, is also alleged to have paid Alexander, of Port Talbot, two thousand seven hundred notes for information on inmates at HMP Holloway. Box Turnbull faces two charges of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, with Pizzey, Reilly and Alexander charged as co-conspirators. Current Sun journalist Vince Soodin, of Greenwich, appeared in court charged with conspiring with a police officer to commit misconduct in public office. It is alleged that, between 18 June and 20 July 2010, he paid a police officer five hundred quid in exchange for information including contact details for witnesses in police investigations. An officer with Wiltshire Police, Darren Jennings, of Harnham in Wiltshire, has been charged with misconduct in public office after he allegedly provided information to the Sun in relation to a police officer who was facing criminal proceedings. It is alleged that in September 2010, he sought payment of ten thousand knicker in exchange for personal background information about the police officer and other individuals who were in police custody at the time. Meanwhile, it is claimed that Alan Ostler, a former assistant technical instructor at Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire, provided information to journalists at the Sun and the Daily Mirra relating to patients and incidents inside the high-security psychiatric hospital, allegedly receiving nine hundred notes from the latter paper. Ostler, of Denham in Buckinghamshire, was charged with committing misconduct in public office between 1 June and 10 July 2008.
Detectives from the Operation Tuleta investigation into breaches of privacy by journalists have arrested a retired private investigator on suspicion of computer hacking. The Metropolitan police said the fifty eight-year-old man was arrested shortly before 8am at his home in Reading on Tuesday. He was held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit an unauthorised act with the intent to impair the operation of a computer, contrary to section three of the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
In a statement, the Met police described the man as 'a retired private investigator' and said he was in custody at a police station in Reading. He becomes the twenty first arrest under Operation Tuleta, one of the three major investigations into alleged illegal activity that sprang out of the disgraced and disgraceful Scum of the World phone-hacking scandal in 2011. It is being run as a separate investigation from Operation Weeting, the investigation into phone-hacking, and Operation Elveden, the inquiry into alleged illicit payments from journalists to police and public officials and other naughty shenanigans and malarkey. The Met police said: 'Operation Tuleta is the MPS inquiry investigating criminal acts that intrude on individual privacy for journalistic purposes, that are not covered by the terms of reference for Operation Weeting or Operation Elveden, and other criminal matters as directed by the oversight group. Matters that disclose Data Protection Act offences alone will be passed to the Information Commissioner's Office to progress as appropriate.'
Ex-Commons deputy speaker Nigel Evans MP has made his first court appearance after being charged with sexual offences. Evans has been charged with two counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault, and one of rape against seven male alleged victims. During the brief hearing at Preston Magistrates' Court, the fifty five-year-old spoke to answer personal details before his case was sent to crown court.
He was bailed and is due to appear at Preston Crown Court on 4 October. The indecent assaults are alleged to have been committed between 1 January 2002 and 1 January 2004, the sexual assaults allegedly between 1 January 2009 and 1 April 2013, and the alleged rape between 29 March and 1 April 2013. The MP for Ribble Valley in Lancashire resigned as deputy speaker of the House of Commons last week after being charged. Evans was a Conservative MP before becoming deputy speaker, a politically neutral role, but he has not sought to return to the Conservative fold in the Commons and will continue to represent his constituents as an independent. He has been MP for the Ribble Valley constituency since 1992. Born in Swansea, he worked in the family newsagents in the city and cut his political teeth as a councillor there. He was vice-chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001, and promoted to shadow Welsh secretary in 2001 for two years.
BBC Radio 4 has launched a new weekly music podcast featuring programmes from its archives. The shows will include classic interviews and new perspectives on artists and genres and will be introduced by Mastertapes and Front Row presenter John Wilson. Wilson said: 'I don't think people realise what a wealth of music-related programmes there are on Radio 4. We have an audience that has grown up with great music, whether it be The Beatles, Patti Smith, Neil Young, dance music, soul or hip-hop, and they're passionately interested in not just the music but the stories behind it.' He added:
'If there's one thing we like almost as much as listening to music it's talking about it. I'm hoping that these podcasts will be listened to not only by Radio 4 listeners, but by those music fans who habitually listen to music radio.' The first three months of the show include an in-depth interview with notorious alcoholic wife-beating Scouse junkie John Lennon from 1970, a look through Louis Armstrong's personal tape collection and Germaine Greer's personal take on Frank Zappa. Controller of Radio 4 Gwyneth Williams said: 'Over the years Radio 4 has broadcast an extraordinary range of inspiring music programmes, and I'm delighted that this new music podcast will give listeners the chance to discover and revisit these often memorable moments in music broadcasting history. I am keen to use opportunities like this to bring some of the treasures from the Radio 4 archive to light for people to enjoy anew, and I am pleased that this new music podcast will be joining the Cultural Exchange collection and the likes of the Alastair Cooke archive in Radio 4's expanded online offering.'
Fantom are to release a new Doctor Who calendar for 2014 next week highlighting twelve of the actresses who played the Doctor's companion during the so-called 'classic' era of the series (1963-1996). This year, Who Girls will feature Anneke Wills, Sophie Aldred, Deborah Watling, Katy Manning, Jean Marsh, Daphne Ashbrook, Maureen O'Brien, Mary Tamm, Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding, Nicola Bryant and Louise Jameson. The calendar is available directly from Fantom's website, with the first one hundred orders receiving a copy signed by one of the featured companions.
Jason Manford has told his fans not to come and see him in at a forthcoming show in Oxford – because of the extortionate booking fees charged by the theatre. In an outraged post on Facebook, Jase raged against the New Theatre's owners which added a 'whopping' £8.90 on top of the £22.50 face value of the ticket. Saying that this is a rip-off which makes his 'blood boil', Manford wondered what the agency 'parasites' were doing for the money, since theatre-goes book online and print off their own tickets. The theatre is owned by the Ambassadors Theatre Group, and tickets sold through its subsidiary ATG Tickets. Fees comprise a £3.90 per ticket booking fee, a one quid a ticket 'theatre restoration levy' and four smackers per 'booking transaction' fee. The comic – who is playing the Oxford theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday next week – wrote: 'Please, please, please do not buy these tickets. These booking agents are parasites of the highest order, over charging you and making it look like it's the performer. I can only apologise for the people already booked, God bless you I will of course put on my best show as I do every night. 
I just wish I'd spotted it bloody sooner but all that is left to promoters and such like but just know that after this tour I will never play an ATG venue again until they lower their preposterous booking charges. I mean, you do it all your fucking self. That's what gets me, you log on, you choose your seats, you even print the bastard out at home! What are they charging for? How are they getting nearly half of what I get when I'm the one who spent a year writing and perfecting it, driving to the gig, paying travel, accommodation, tour manager, promoters, agents, advertising, not getting to put my kids to bed six nights a week for ten months. I do my best to never rip anyone off but this makes my blood boil. I'm kicking myself for not noticing it sooner.' Fans can, apparently, avoid all but the one pound restoration fee if they go directly to the box office in person, which Manford later discovered and added to his Facebook page. This is not the first time ATG's booking fees have angered comics. Sarah Millican has refused to take her current Home Bird tour to any of the company's venues because of such fees. When she announced her tour last year, she wrote: 'I don't agree with the extra charges ATG put on top of the face value ticket price to you the customer and a number of other restrictions they have in place so that's why I've avoided their venues this time round.'
A music festival on the Worcestershire Shropshire border has been cancelled just over a week before the event due to 'unforeseen financial reasons.'
The two day Ringmaster festival was due to take place at Hopton Court, near Cleobury Mortimer from 27 September. Headline acts included Maximo Park, Hadouken and The Mystery Jets. Blimey, with a quality line-up like that, one can't imagine for a second solitary why it wasn't a massive financial success.
Stottingtot Hotshot fans who chant the word 'Yid' should not be prosecuted, according to no lesser a source than the prime minister. David Cameron told the Jewish Chronicle there was a difference between Spurs fans 'describing themselves as Yids' and the word being used as an insult to others. The North London club has always had a strong Jewish following who have often been the target of anti-Semitic abuse, but some fans use the term in, seemingly, an effort to 'reclaim' the word. Spurs have sent a questionnaire to fans to ask if the practice should stop. The prime minister's comments came after the Football Association issued a - rather unhelpful - statement warning supporters that the use of such words could result in a banning order or criminal charges. Cameron said:
'There's a difference between Spurs fans self-describing themselves as Yids and someone calling someone a Yid as an insult. You have to be motivated by hate. Hate speech should be prosecuted - but only when it's motivated by hate.' Remember that, dear blog reader, the next time the Daily Scum Mail have a headline about asylum seekers. Chants of 'Yids', 'Yid Army' and 'Yiddos' are - and have been for a long time - regularly heard in the home stands at White Hart Lane. During Saturday's match between Spurs and Norwich, fans reacted angrily to the FA statement by chanting not only 'Yid Army', but also, amusingly, 'We'll sing what we want'. The charity Community Security Trust, which advises Jewish groups on security, said that although the use of the word 'Yid' by fans 'does not justify prosecution', it is still offensive to many, which is undeniably true. 'It remains an offensive word that can upset many Jews both inside and outside the football context,' a spokesperson said. 'Ultimately, ridding football of anti-Semitism needs to involve Spurs fans voluntarily dropping the Y-word from their songbook.'
The decision review system could be tweaked for this winter's Ashes series, meaning that a team's referrals would be topped up to two reviews after eighty overs of an innings. A trial will start in all test matches in which DRS is used on 1 October. Snickometer, which detects edges (or, a lack of them) using sound, could be made part of the DRS process subject to more testing.
At a meeting in Dubai, International Cricket Council chiefs also suggested extra training for television umpires since a few of them don't seem to know what the ruddy hell they're playing at. DRS was heavily criticised during the recent Ashes series between England and Australia because of a string of controversial - ie. wrong - decisions. Many of those questionable decisions related to Hot Spot, which uses heat sensors and infrared cameras to determine what the ball has made contact with. In some of these instances Snicko might have been able to help, but it is not currently part of DRS because it takes too long to return a result. The ICC also announced its intention to clamp down on slow over-rates and time wasting and to 'maximise playing time in conditions where is it safe to do so.' England were denied a dramatic win on day five of the final Ashes test at The Oval when the umpires took the players off the field for bad light. The first test of this winter's Ashes series in Australia starts on 21 November in Brisbane. This forthcoming malarkey makes yer actual Keith Telly Topping happy, dear blog reader. As happy, in fact, as the lady in the RightMove advert, frankly.
Yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved Durham need another sixty two runs to win the County Championship after bowling out Notts for two hundred and forty six on the second day of their game at Chester-Le-Street. Following his stand of one hundred and twenty one with Phil Mustard the day before, skipper Paul Collingwood (eighty eight not out) added thirty five in the morning to help the hosts to two hundred and fifty six all out and a fifth bonus point, along with a one hundred and seventy eight-run first-innings lead, Notts having been dismissed for just seventy eight on Tuesday. Steven Mullaney (seventy two) held Durham up but he fell to Graham Onions (three for fifty) as the hosts sensed a two-day victory. David Hussey dug in and was last man out for fifty seven before Durham, with light fading, faced one over before stumps. 
After being frustrated for the early part of the afternoon, a flurry of wickets gave Durham hope of wrapping up the title, but having been set just sixty nine to win, they opted not to ask for the extra half hour despite a less than positive weather forecast for the third day. Mullaney, who was dropped in the slips on fifty nine, spent one hundred and sixty two balls at the crease and hit eleven fours to frustrate the home side, but his dismissal was quickly followed by those of Samit Patel for four and Chris Read for a ten-ball duck, as Notts lost three wickets for nine runs. Hussey, who passed thirteen thousand first-class runs during his innings and Paul Franks (twenty nine) put on fifty nine for the seventh wicket, before the latter was bowled by leg-spinner Scott Borthwick. Andre Adams fell to Ben Stokes (three for fifty five), who had to go off at one point with a jarred toe, and Luke Fletcher made a quickfire twenty, but it was Hussey's knock that forced Durham - previously champions in 2008 and 2009 - to put the celebrations on hold overnight. Notts are still not out of relegation trouble and will be looking nervously over their shoulder at proceedings at Edgbaston, where basement club Surrey have picked up full batting bonus points against Warwickshire.
Meanwhile, Sussex have won the Women's cricket county championship for the sixth time in ten years after beating Yorkshire. After reaching two hundred and twenty nine for four from their fifty overs in the final at Milton Keynes, Sussex bowled out their opponents for one hundred and thirty three to win by ninety six runs. 'We saved our best performance until the end,' Sussex women's coach Charlotte Burton said. 'The players have played extremely well all season and every single player has put in performances.'
England star Sarah Taylor and sixteen-year-old Izzy Collis were the main contributors to Sussex's total, scoring one hundred and twenty eight not out and an unbeaten fifty one respectively. Izi Noakes then took a wicket in the opening over of Yorkshire's reply before Sussex captain Holly Colvin weighed in with three quick wickets. Sussex, who last won the title in 2010, missed out on the Women's Twenty/20 title last week when they lost to Kent. 'It was a great innings by Taylor and Collis to put us in a good position and then everyone topped it off in the field and with the ball,' Burton added. 'I am very proud of the players. We have a great team and to come back fighting after last week's T20 loss showed we have tremendous strength and character within our squad.'
British champion Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory in an exciting end to the Tour Of Britain's fourth stage. Team Sky's British duo King of the Mods Bradley Wiggins and Ian Stannard both finished in the main group to remain first and second in the overall standings. Cavendish powered ahead of stage one winner Elia Viviani of Cannondale and Steele Von Hoff of Garmin Sharp. A breakaway of eleven riders were clear for much of the day before being caught with one kilometre left to set up the finish.
Cavendish (riding for Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) jumped into the slipstreams of two rivals before powering to his first victory of this year's race ahead of Viviani in second and von Hoff in third. The sprint came only after the day's eleven-man breakaway had been finally caught eight hundred metres from the line following a compelling day-long duel between themselves and Team Sky on the front of the peloton. A battle for position ensued as the two groups came together at high pace, but Cavendish was ushered safely through the melee by his team-mates and then followed the wheels of both Sacha Modolo (Bardiani Valvole - CSF Inox) and Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling) before launching a decisive burst for the line. Wiggins followed safely in the peloton to retain his thirty seven-second lead in the general classification over Team Sky team-mate Stannard, who also finished in the main pelaton.
Which brings us to yer actual Keith Telly Topping's 45 of the Day and we're still on something of 60s TV theme trip at the moment. Here's yer actual Ron Grainer his very self.
Britain's Broken Families interested 1.61m at 10.30pm - and failed to interest anyone else by the look of things. On BBC2, The Midwives dropped over one hundred thousand viewers to 2.04m at 9pm. Kanye West's appearance on the new series of Later ... with Jools Holland brought in an audience of six hundred and seventy seven thousand at 10pm. ITV's coverage of The Scum's 4-2 Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen scored, if you will, 4.52m from 7.30pm. On Channel Four, Double Your House For Half the Money appealed to 1.10m at 8pm. The documentary Posh Pawn brought in 1.65m at 9pm, followed by Cutting Edge's Fabulous Fashionistas with 1.13m at 10pm. Channel Five's risible Celebrity Super Spa gathered five hundred and twelve thousand viewers at 9pm. CSI: NY continued with 1.20m at 10pm. Doctor Who and Sherlock have been added to Hulu Plus. The subscription service, which offers video streaming of TV and movies, has entered a non-exclusive multi-year agreement with BBC Worldwide North America to provide a number of the corporation's popular shows. Richard Hammond's Crash Course is also available to stream for Plus members, starting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Top Gear, [spooks], Luther and Fawlty Towers will be added in the autumn. It was recently announced that BBC America's documentary series The Doctors Revisited will be broadcast in the UK on Watch later this year.
The diminutive comedian grassed to the Sun like a dirty stinking Copper's Nark, although quite what the hell any of this has to do with him is another matter entirely: 'Bruce seems to thrive on entertaining but whether he will thrive after this series of Strictly I don't know. He must get tired. I think after this series he will give himself a Brucie Bonus. Every Saturday is gruelling. It is really hard going. It is not something I could do each week on Saturday nights now. I enjoy working but only on certain things. Bruce is a special breed and his talents are very diverse as he can dance and play the piano. But Bruce does not walk down the stairs now - he comes down from the side like a dancer.' Corbett has been talked up as Forsyth's potential replacement on Strictly in the past, after he stepped in to front one episode of the show in Forsyth's absence in 2009. He said: 'I tried my hand at Strictly once but it was only for one week. When Bruce called me and told me I was doing it, I nearly fell down the stairs.' 
The director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater, said: 'It is with a sad heart that we announce that Sue is no longer presenting, having been the mainstay of the Sports Personality Of The Year for almost two decades. This is Sue's decision and one that we all respect. However fans needn't worry, she won't be absent from our screens on the night; bringing some special elements to the show as we look back on what has been another bumper year for UK sport.' She added: 'Sue will also remain very much a key part of our presenting team at BBC Sport, as we prepare for a busy 2014 sporting calendar. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Gabby Logan to the Sports Personality team for 2013, we're delighted to have her on board.' Adding, 'Gabby desperately needs the work since the chances of I Love My Country being recommissioned are about the same as the chances of the BBC reacquiring live football any time soon.'c probably. Barker will work for the broadcaster at Wimbledon and the 2014 Winter Olympics. The 2013 Sports Personality Of The Year ceremony will be broadcast live from the first direct arena in Leeds on Sunday 15 December on BBC1 and BBC1 HD. Also on the panel are BBC head of TV Sport Philip Bernie, executive editor of Sports Personality Of The Year Carl Doran, Radio 5Live presenter Mark Pougatch, newspaper sports editors Alison Kervin, Adam Sills and Dominic Hart, former nominees Kelly Holmes, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Michael Vaughan and chief executive if UK Sport Liz Nicholl. The panel will select the shortlist, and the winner will be decided by public vote on the night. They will also select the winners of the Team of the Year, Overseas Personality of the Year and Coach of the Year awards, and other prizes include the Lifetime Achievement award, the Helen Rollason award, Young Sports Personality of the Year and Unsung Hero. Gary Lineker his very self, meanwhile, has suggested that David Beckham would be an ideal candidate to join Match Of The Day. Alan Hansen recently announced plans to leave the popular BBC football highlights show after twenty two years following the 2014 World Cup. Although Lineker would like the former England captain to step into Hansen's shoes, Lineker said that he doesn't expect Beckham to move into punditry. So, this is all a bit of a pointless non-story in other words. Figures.
'I'd love to get David Beckham but I think he has made it pretty clear where his career lies,' Lineker told the Sun. 'With Alan about to retire, there is a space for the next big star of punditry - and hopefully we will find him. We are trying lots of different faces and might continue to mix it up more but who knows?' Lineker added that Hansen's presence will be 'missed' on the programme. 'I am going to miss Alan. He has been at the top of his field for twenty years and is brilliant. Being a pundit on Match Of The Day is, by far, the most difficult show to do. There is so very little time between games to get over a valid point and do some key analysis. He does it well - and of course he will be a big miss.' Speaking about the show's changes, Lineker added: 'We are always looking at ways to improve the programme. It's definitely a case of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" as Match Of The Day is a proven, popular formula. Some prefer more analysis and less action, others more action and no analysis. By and large we strike a balance.' 
Instead of acknowledging his mistake and swapping the items, McCoy carried on with the report with the batch of paper clearly visible in his hands. His unfortunate error was broadcast in all its glory with a full-length shot, prompting baffled viewers to take to Twitter. Cos, of course, everyone on Twitter is so fucking clever, you know. A BBC spokeswoman later explained: 'This morning as Simon McCoy was preparing to introduce this story, instead of picking up his tablet to hold as he went to air, he mistakenly picked up a ream of paper that was sitting next to it. In the rush of live news, he didn't have an opportunity to swap the items, so simply went with it.' This is not the first time that McCoy has been flummoxed on live television. Last year the presenter was caught resting his head on the presenting desk after what looked like a quick snooze on the early morning shift. In March, McCoy tumbled over his words while presenting a live piece on pandas at Edinburgh zoo. More recently, however, the presenter was praised by many for his 'refreshingly honest' live coverage from outside St Mary's hospital as the world waited for the birth of Prince George, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 'Plenty more to come from here, of course. None of it news because that will come from Buckingham Palace. But that won't stop us,' he told viewers.
'We are determined to bring Mad Men a similar showcase. In an era where high-end content is savoured and analysed, and catch-up time is used well to drive back to live events, we believe this is the best way to release the now fourteen episodes that remain of this iconic series.' Creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner added: 'We plan to take advantage of this chance to have a more elaborate story told in two parts, which can resonate a little bit longer in the minds of our audience. The writers, cast and other artists welcome this unique manner of ending this unique experience.' Weiner recently admitted that he is in 'denial' about the drama coming to an end. Oscar-winning Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne has been added to the writing staff for the seventh series, according to Variety. Along with Shampoo and Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan, Lord Of The Apes, Towne's writing credits include Mission: Impossible II and Days Of Thunder.Sir David Frost's final BBC project is to be made, it has been announced. The broadcaster - who died aged seventy four earlier this month - was said to be 'extremely excited' to be working on a new programme entitled That Was The Year That Was before he died. Michael Grade will step in to present the show in his memory, the BBC has confirmed.
Guests including Ronnie Corbett, Barry Norman and Dame Joan Bakewell will join Grade for the three-part project. Broadcast on BBC Radio 2, the programme will focus on 1963, the year Frost presented That Was The Week That Was. It will look back at news stories that took place during his early career, including the Profumo affair, the Great Train Robbery, James Bond's launch and the assassination of JFK. The programme will begin recording this week, and will be broadcast later in 2013. BBC Radio 2's Bob Shennan told the Torygraph: 'David Frost had agreed to present the recreation of his iconic programme just before his passing, and he was extremely excited about the project. It's fitting that Michael Grade is to front the programme as a tribute to his friend.'
He is accused of conspiring with Sun journalists and public officials, including Broadmoor staff and police officers, to extremely commit misconduct in public office between 9 August 2007 and 11 January 2011. Prosecutors have alleged that O'Driscoll authorised payments of at least five grand for 'details about police incidents and crime, including information about high-profile individuals and those associated with them' and information about the health and activities of Broadmoor patients. Judge Emma Arbuthnot sent O'Driscoll, who now works for the Daily Scum Mail, for a preliminary hearing listed for Wednesday afternoon at the Old Bailey. O'Driscoll, wearing a maroon tie and black suit, made no comment as he left the court building. His lawyer, Stephanie Roe, told the court that he 'wants this matter dealt with as soon as possible.' He has been released on unconditional bail. O'Driscoll became the fourteenth current or former Sun journalist charged in connection with Operation Elveden when the Crown Prosecution Service announced its decision to bring charges on 12 September.Meanwhile, eight other people, including the former managing editor of the Sun, have appeared at the Old Bailey in connection with alleged naughty and corrupt payments by newspapers. It is alleged Graham Dudman authorised payments to public officials. The eight also included an ex-Daily Mirra journalist, a police officer and a prison officer. The charges were brought under the Metropolitan Police's investigation Operation Elveden. The eight defendants appeared side by side in the dock up a'fore the beak and spoke only to confirm their names. Their bail was continued and the case adjourned for a plea and case management hearing on 22 November. Dudman, of Brentwood, is now an executive at News UK. He has been charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. It is alleged that in September 2002 he requested the authorisation of payments of three thousand knicker to one or more police officers in exchange for information relating to ongoing police investigations. It is also claimed that between June 2002 and December 2007, Dudman authorised payments to public officials relating to the health of a Broadmoor patient, details of an incident at a hospital and details of an incident relating to army combat. It is further alleged that he approved a payment requested by John Troup, a former journalist at the Sun, for information relating to the death of a prison inmate. Troup, of Saffron Walden, has been charged as a co-conspirator. He was excused from attending the brief preliminary hearing along with Marc Alexander, a former prison officer at HMP Holloway in North London.
Among those who did appear in court on Wednesday was prison officer Grant Pizzey, and his partner Desra Reilly, both from Eltham, who are alleged to have received almost twenty thousand smackers from former Daily Mirra journalist Greig Box Turnbull for over forty pieces of information about incidents which took place at HMP Belmarsh, where Pizzey worked. Box Turnbull, of Morden, is also alleged to have paid Alexander, of Port Talbot, two thousand seven hundred notes for information on inmates at HMP Holloway. Box Turnbull faces two charges of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, with Pizzey, Reilly and Alexander charged as co-conspirators. Current Sun journalist Vince Soodin, of Greenwich, appeared in court charged with conspiring with a police officer to commit misconduct in public office. It is alleged that, between 18 June and 20 July 2010, he paid a police officer five hundred quid in exchange for information including contact details for witnesses in police investigations. An officer with Wiltshire Police, Darren Jennings, of Harnham in Wiltshire, has been charged with misconduct in public office after he allegedly provided information to the Sun in relation to a police officer who was facing criminal proceedings. It is alleged that in September 2010, he sought payment of ten thousand knicker in exchange for personal background information about the police officer and other individuals who were in police custody at the time. Meanwhile, it is claimed that Alan Ostler, a former assistant technical instructor at Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire, provided information to journalists at the Sun and the Daily Mirra relating to patients and incidents inside the high-security psychiatric hospital, allegedly receiving nine hundred notes from the latter paper. Ostler, of Denham in Buckinghamshire, was charged with committing misconduct in public office between 1 June and 10 July 2008.Detectives from the Operation Tuleta investigation into breaches of privacy by journalists have arrested a retired private investigator on suspicion of computer hacking. The Metropolitan police said the fifty eight-year-old man was arrested shortly before 8am at his home in Reading on Tuesday. He was held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit an unauthorised act with the intent to impair the operation of a computer, contrary to section three of the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
In a statement, the Met police described the man as 'a retired private investigator' and said he was in custody at a police station in Reading. He becomes the twenty first arrest under Operation Tuleta, one of the three major investigations into alleged illegal activity that sprang out of the disgraced and disgraceful Scum of the World phone-hacking scandal in 2011. It is being run as a separate investigation from Operation Weeting, the investigation into phone-hacking, and Operation Elveden, the inquiry into alleged illicit payments from journalists to police and public officials and other naughty shenanigans and malarkey. The Met police said: 'Operation Tuleta is the MPS inquiry investigating criminal acts that intrude on individual privacy for journalistic purposes, that are not covered by the terms of reference for Operation Weeting or Operation Elveden, and other criminal matters as directed by the oversight group. Matters that disclose Data Protection Act offences alone will be passed to the Information Commissioner's Office to progress as appropriate.'Ex-Commons deputy speaker Nigel Evans MP has made his first court appearance after being charged with sexual offences. Evans has been charged with two counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault, and one of rape against seven male alleged victims. During the brief hearing at Preston Magistrates' Court, the fifty five-year-old spoke to answer personal details before his case was sent to crown court.
He was bailed and is due to appear at Preston Crown Court on 4 October. The indecent assaults are alleged to have been committed between 1 January 2002 and 1 January 2004, the sexual assaults allegedly between 1 January 2009 and 1 April 2013, and the alleged rape between 29 March and 1 April 2013. The MP for Ribble Valley in Lancashire resigned as deputy speaker of the House of Commons last week after being charged. Evans was a Conservative MP before becoming deputy speaker, a politically neutral role, but he has not sought to return to the Conservative fold in the Commons and will continue to represent his constituents as an independent. He has been MP for the Ribble Valley constituency since 1992. Born in Swansea, he worked in the family newsagents in the city and cut his political teeth as a councillor there. He was vice-chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001, and promoted to shadow Welsh secretary in 2001 for two years.BBC Radio 4 has launched a new weekly music podcast featuring programmes from its archives. The shows will include classic interviews and new perspectives on artists and genres and will be introduced by Mastertapes and Front Row presenter John Wilson. Wilson said: 'I don't think people realise what a wealth of music-related programmes there are on Radio 4. We have an audience that has grown up with great music, whether it be The Beatles, Patti Smith, Neil Young, dance music, soul or hip-hop, and they're passionately interested in not just the music but the stories behind it.' He added:
'If there's one thing we like almost as much as listening to music it's talking about it. I'm hoping that these podcasts will be listened to not only by Radio 4 listeners, but by those music fans who habitually listen to music radio.' The first three months of the show include an in-depth interview with notorious alcoholic wife-beating Scouse junkie John Lennon from 1970, a look through Louis Armstrong's personal tape collection and Germaine Greer's personal take on Frank Zappa. Controller of Radio 4 Gwyneth Williams said: 'Over the years Radio 4 has broadcast an extraordinary range of inspiring music programmes, and I'm delighted that this new music podcast will give listeners the chance to discover and revisit these often memorable moments in music broadcasting history. I am keen to use opportunities like this to bring some of the treasures from the Radio 4 archive to light for people to enjoy anew, and I am pleased that this new music podcast will be joining the Cultural Exchange collection and the likes of the Alastair Cooke archive in Radio 4's expanded online offering.'Fantom are to release a new Doctor Who calendar for 2014 next week highlighting twelve of the actresses who played the Doctor's companion during the so-called 'classic' era of the series (1963-1996). This year, Who Girls will feature Anneke Wills, Sophie Aldred, Deborah Watling, Katy Manning, Jean Marsh, Daphne Ashbrook, Maureen O'Brien, Mary Tamm, Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding, Nicola Bryant and Louise Jameson. The calendar is available directly from Fantom's website, with the first one hundred orders receiving a copy signed by one of the featured companions.
I just wish I'd spotted it bloody sooner but all that is left to promoters and such like but just know that after this tour I will never play an ATG venue again until they lower their preposterous booking charges. I mean, you do it all your fucking self. That's what gets me, you log on, you choose your seats, you even print the bastard out at home! What are they charging for? How are they getting nearly half of what I get when I'm the one who spent a year writing and perfecting it, driving to the gig, paying travel, accommodation, tour manager, promoters, agents, advertising, not getting to put my kids to bed six nights a week for ten months. I do my best to never rip anyone off but this makes my blood boil. I'm kicking myself for not noticing it sooner.' Fans can, apparently, avoid all but the one pound restoration fee if they go directly to the box office in person, which Manford later discovered and added to his Facebook page. This is not the first time ATG's booking fees have angered comics. Sarah Millican has refused to take her current Home Bird tour to any of the company's venues because of such fees. When she announced her tour last year, she wrote: 'I don't agree with the extra charges ATG put on top of the face value ticket price to you the customer and a number of other restrictions they have in place so that's why I've avoided their venues this time round.'A music festival on the Worcestershire Shropshire border has been cancelled just over a week before the event due to 'unforeseen financial reasons.'
The two day Ringmaster festival was due to take place at Hopton Court, near Cleobury Mortimer from 27 September. Headline acts included Maximo Park, Hadouken and The Mystery Jets. Blimey, with a quality line-up like that, one can't imagine for a second solitary why it wasn't a massive financial success. Stottingtot Hotshot fans who chant the word 'Yid' should not be prosecuted, according to no lesser a source than the prime minister. David Cameron told the Jewish Chronicle there was a difference between Spurs fans 'describing themselves as Yids' and the word being used as an insult to others. The North London club has always had a strong Jewish following who have often been the target of anti-Semitic abuse, but some fans use the term in, seemingly, an effort to 'reclaim' the word. Spurs have sent a questionnaire to fans to ask if the practice should stop. The prime minister's comments came after the Football Association issued a - rather unhelpful - statement warning supporters that the use of such words could result in a banning order or criminal charges. Cameron said:
'There's a difference between Spurs fans self-describing themselves as Yids and someone calling someone a Yid as an insult. You have to be motivated by hate. Hate speech should be prosecuted - but only when it's motivated by hate.' Remember that, dear blog reader, the next time the Daily Scum Mail have a headline about asylum seekers. Chants of 'Yids', 'Yid Army' and 'Yiddos' are - and have been for a long time - regularly heard in the home stands at White Hart Lane. During Saturday's match between Spurs and Norwich, fans reacted angrily to the FA statement by chanting not only 'Yid Army', but also, amusingly, 'We'll sing what we want'. The charity Community Security Trust, which advises Jewish groups on security, said that although the use of the word 'Yid' by fans 'does not justify prosecution', it is still offensive to many, which is undeniably true. 'It remains an offensive word that can upset many Jews both inside and outside the football context,' a spokesperson said. 'Ultimately, ridding football of anti-Semitism needs to involve Spurs fans voluntarily dropping the Y-word from their songbook.' The decision review system could be tweaked for this winter's Ashes series, meaning that a team's referrals would be topped up to two reviews after eighty overs of an innings. A trial will start in all test matches in which DRS is used on 1 October. Snickometer, which detects edges (or, a lack of them) using sound, could be made part of the DRS process subject to more testing.
At a meeting in Dubai, International Cricket Council chiefs also suggested extra training for television umpires since a few of them don't seem to know what the ruddy hell they're playing at. DRS was heavily criticised during the recent Ashes series between England and Australia because of a string of controversial - ie. wrong - decisions. Many of those questionable decisions related to Hot Spot, which uses heat sensors and infrared cameras to determine what the ball has made contact with. In some of these instances Snicko might have been able to help, but it is not currently part of DRS because it takes too long to return a result. The ICC also announced its intention to clamp down on slow over-rates and time wasting and to 'maximise playing time in conditions where is it safe to do so.' England were denied a dramatic win on day five of the final Ashes test at The Oval when the umpires took the players off the field for bad light. The first test of this winter's Ashes series in Australia starts on 21 November in Brisbane. This forthcoming malarkey makes yer actual Keith Telly Topping happy, dear blog reader. As happy, in fact, as the lady in the RightMove advert, frankly. 
After being frustrated for the early part of the afternoon, a flurry of wickets gave Durham hope of wrapping up the title, but having been set just sixty nine to win, they opted not to ask for the extra half hour despite a less than positive weather forecast for the third day. Mullaney, who was dropped in the slips on fifty nine, spent one hundred and sixty two balls at the crease and hit eleven fours to frustrate the home side, but his dismissal was quickly followed by those of Samit Patel for four and Chris Read for a ten-ball duck, as Notts lost three wickets for nine runs. Hussey, who passed thirteen thousand first-class runs during his innings and Paul Franks (twenty nine) put on fifty nine for the seventh wicket, before the latter was bowled by leg-spinner Scott Borthwick. Andre Adams fell to Ben Stokes (three for fifty five), who had to go off at one point with a jarred toe, and Luke Fletcher made a quickfire twenty, but it was Hussey's knock that forced Durham - previously champions in 2008 and 2009 - to put the celebrations on hold overnight. Notts are still not out of relegation trouble and will be looking nervously over their shoulder at proceedings at Edgbaston, where basement club Surrey have picked up full batting bonus points against Warwickshire.Meanwhile, Sussex have won the Women's cricket county championship for the sixth time in ten years after beating Yorkshire. After reaching two hundred and twenty nine for four from their fifty overs in the final at Milton Keynes, Sussex bowled out their opponents for one hundred and thirty three to win by ninety six runs. 'We saved our best performance until the end,' Sussex women's coach Charlotte Burton said. 'The players have played extremely well all season and every single player has put in performances.'
England star Sarah Taylor and sixteen-year-old Izzy Collis were the main contributors to Sussex's total, scoring one hundred and twenty eight not out and an unbeaten fifty one respectively. Izi Noakes then took a wicket in the opening over of Yorkshire's reply before Sussex captain Holly Colvin weighed in with three quick wickets. Sussex, who last won the title in 2010, missed out on the Women's Twenty/20 title last week when they lost to Kent. 'It was a great innings by Taylor and Collis to put us in a good position and then everyone topped it off in the field and with the ball,' Burton added. 'I am very proud of the players. We have a great team and to come back fighting after last week's T20 loss showed we have tremendous strength and character within our squad.'British champion Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory in an exciting end to the Tour Of Britain's fourth stage. Team Sky's British duo King of the Mods Bradley Wiggins and Ian Stannard both finished in the main group to remain first and second in the overall standings. Cavendish powered ahead of stage one winner Elia Viviani of Cannondale and Steele Von Hoff of Garmin Sharp. A breakaway of eleven riders were clear for much of the day before being caught with one kilometre left to set up the finish.
Cavendish (riding for Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) jumped into the slipstreams of two rivals before powering to his first victory of this year's race ahead of Viviani in second and von Hoff in third. The sprint came only after the day's eleven-man breakaway had been finally caught eight hundred metres from the line following a compelling day-long duel between themselves and Team Sky on the front of the peloton. A battle for position ensued as the two groups came together at high pace, but Cavendish was ushered safely through the melee by his team-mates and then followed the wheels of both Sacha Modolo (Bardiani Valvole - CSF Inox) and Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling) before launching a decisive burst for the line. Wiggins followed safely in the peloton to retain his thirty seven-second lead in the general classification over Team Sky team-mate Stannard, who also finished in the main pelaton.Which brings us to yer actual Keith Telly Topping's 45 of the Day and we're still on something of 60s TV theme trip at the moment. Here's yer actual Ron Grainer his very self.
