[X] My Assistant

[Stu]

Many UK members - and some of our US friends, I'm sure - will be aware that tonight's edition of THE SKY AT NIGHT is the 650th episode. Yes, you read that right, its 650th episode!!! The longest running science program In The World I believe...

And what time is it on? 01.55. That's 01.55 tomorrow morning.

Which is just wrong.

The consistently pre-dawn time slot of THE SKY AT NIGHT is, in my opinion, insulting to a broadcaster and writer of Sir Patrick's standing, insulting to the show's audience specifically, and insulting to the intelligence of the British TV viewer in general. Don't get me wrong, I love the BBC, for all the good shows it gives us - DR WHO, PLANET EARTH, HORIZON (sometimes, when it's not fall asleep boring or ruined by trendy juddery camera work... or has bandwagon-jumping expert astrologer Jonathan Cainer as an "expert" on an astronomical edition, STILL mad about that!!!) SPACE ODYSSEY a couple of years ago, and Radio 5 LIVE is wonderful - but when it comes to THE SKY AT NIGHT the BBC has its priorities and audience values all wrong.

I mean, the timeslot is just plain stupid - it should be on earlier simply because of it's title, "...At Night"... it isn't called "The Sky Just Before Dawn", it's ridiculous!!

Over Christmas the BBC gave us such festive, prime time delights as EASTENDERS' Pauline Fowler dying in the snow (long overdue, miserable witch, but not right for Christmas Day evening, surely!!); an extended episode of the least funny "comedy" show ever written, MY FAMILY, which is about as funny as a puppy on crutches; several blood-soaked episodes of HOLBY CITY CASUALTY DEATH WARD DARK PLACE or whatever it's called; Universe-knows how many shows featuring z-list celebrities singing or dancing or picking their noses in an attempt to resurrect their careers... the list goes on... Yet they have, in THE SKY AT NIGHT, a show that mixes science with humour, has friendly, knowledgeable presenters, attracts experts from all across the world, and is respected all over the world - that is, by by everyone EXCEPT THE IDIOTS IN CHARGE OF THE TV COMPANY THAT MAKES IT!! They'd rather fill our evenings with "CELEBRITY SINK WASHING" or something - anything - with Anne Robinson in it than put on a worthwhile, educational program like TSAN.

I'd write to the Beeb about it, but don't fancy having my letter turned into a new show called "CELEBRITY LETTERS OF COMPLAINT OPENING"...

But be sure to watch it, or set your vid for it more likely, because Patrick will be interviewing Piers Sellers, the British shuttle astronaut. And in Aptril, of course, there's the big anniversary episode...

[Guest_PhilCo126_*]

Stu, about the time slot, for the rest of Europe it's even an hour later!
But I believe each episode becomes viewable online;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/spaceguide/skyatnight/