Channel Islands at War will be showing exclusively on the TV channel Yesterday at 10pm starting Monday 28th June. Following this another two parts will be showing consecutively on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th of June, both at 10pm. It’s the third part in a series of programmes commissioned by Yesterday to commemorate the ‘Spirit of 1940’ in this 70th anniversary year.

Written and presented by actor and historian John Nettles, Channel Islands at War is an emotional examination of the German invasion and occupation of the Channel Islands and the lasting legacy it left on the islands.

From June 1940, when the Nazis arrived, until May 1945, the inhabitants of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney & Sark lived through years of oppression, terror, collaboration and near starvation that’s left an indelible scar still evident 70 years later. With a ratio of one German to every two islanders and a lack of remote hideouts, there was no organised resistance. The treatment of the islands’ Jewish population was, and remains, especially controversial. Things deteriorated in 1944 when the islands were cut off from the rest of Europe and food and fuel supplies dried up. Life in the Channel Islands became intolerable with both islanders and the German’s suffering from starvation.

Above all, John pays tribute to the people of that time, ordinary people who trod a perilous path through an epic conflict and assesses how their lives paved the way for ‘the Jersey Way’ of today.

The TV channel Yesterday has been compiling an online library of stories and memorabilia from WW2 as part of their ‘Spirit of 1940’ season. Help contribute to this great collection and ensure that your stories are not forgotten. You can send yours and your family and friends’ memories in any format by email and we’ll pick the best to display on the Yesterday website for all to see. You could even record a wartime story on your new iPhone, and submit a sound bite! Getting involved is easy, simply go to www.visityesterday.co.uk or email your stories to your1940story@uktv.co.uk

Tune in to Channel Islands at War exclusively on the TV channel Yesterday: Sky 537, Virgin 203, Freeview 12 on 28th, 29th and 30th June at 10pm. For more information go to www.visityesterday.co.uk

FACEBOOK GROUP STAGES INTERNATIONAL ‘BLACKOUTS’ TO PROTEST CANCELLATION OF FLASHFORWARD

The ABC TV network has recently made the decision to cancel the TV show Flashforward. Many fans are upset and frustrated about this, especially as the ending to Season One was so open ended.

To protest the decision to cancel the show, and encourage the uptake of new season, a number of fans have decided to stage their own ‘mini blackouts’ for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, mimicking the blackout from the Flashforward TV show. The group, which was created on Facebook, is one of a number of sites that are protesting and petitioning about the cancellation of the show.

The staged blackout for 2 minutes and 17 seconds has been planned to take place around the world with groups in New York, Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, LA and London. Videos and photos from each of the cities participating in the protest will be sent to ABC along with the many other petitions to ‘save’ the show that have been started on the internet.

The London event has been scheduled to take place on Wandsworth Common with the blackout starting at 6.30 and lasting for 2 minutes and 17 seconds.

LOCATION: Wandsworth Common
DATE: Thursday 10th June
TIME: Blackout begins at 6.30

See the Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125954670758099 or the official website at http://www.preventtheblackout.com/

Auditioning for the star role of ‘Derecq Twist’, a West Country morris dancer, these two world famous celebs just don’t cut the mustard for Morris.

We’ve found two videos that will truly show the dark side of a life in show-biz…

Simon Pegg

Sendhil Ramamurthy

Begins Friday 2nd April at 9pm.

On the 3rd April 2010 we’ll see a brand new Doctor, brand new writer and a brand new logo (audible groans). I hope it’ll be OK, like I hoped it’d still be OK when I first saw Tennant’s manic grin and it was. Of course it helped that after coming out of a coma in his first full-length episode he quoted the Lion King and kicked an arse/skull-faced alien loon into oblivion.

I’m just not sure about Matt Smith, the transformation thing was horrid and he looks much too young to be wearing the bow-tie and tweed get-up. Also, what’s with the permanent look of suprise/gormlessness in the trailer? Ho hum, time will tell. He could be awesome.

Wednesdays at 9pm from Wednesday 7th April on Alibi

Brand new and exclusive to crime drama channel Alibi (sky 132, virgin 130), hit US police drama Castle stars Nathan Fillion (Desperate Housewives, Firefly, Serenity) as Richard Castle, a famous mystery novelist who helps the NYPD homicide department solve crimes. Launching on Alibi on Wednesday 7th April (Wednesdays at 9pm) Castle follows the relationship between the wise cracking crime writer and Kate Beckett, the feisty NYPD Detective (Stana Katic).

Richard “Rick” Castle and Detective Kate Beckett first cross paths when Castle is investigated by the NYPD when a murder victim matches the description of a victim in one of his best-selling novels. At the time of the investigation Castle is suffering a bad case of writer’s block. Inspired by his run-in with the beautiful Beckett and through his connections with the Mayor he gets permission to hang out as a consultant at the precinct to do research for his next book. Beckett is initially horrified by the idea of castle tagging along but as time progresses a chalk-and-cheese crime-solving duo are born.

Castle mixes classic amateur sleuthing and Moonlighting-style sexual chemistry with slick, 21st century police procedural drama.

To find out more about the show, or watch exciting clips click here.
You can also find exclusive information on Facebook.

Or check out these links:

Episode 1 clip

Stana Katic interview

Nathan Fillion interview

“Liked Alan Partridge? And loved the Office? Then you better watch out for The Fleet: The Funny Side of Fleet Management.

The Fleet is an online sitcom about the fortunes of working at the small size logistics supplier ‘Lightfoot Logistics’, where fleet manager Pete is surrounded by his dysfunctional colleagues. Not so funny is Mr. Thompson, proud owner of a van with class leading headlight and not much else. Or van driver Ben, who couldn’t even find the way out of his own front door if it wasn’t for a Sat Nav. Meanwhile, salesman Jay sums up all that’s bad in sales: he’s inexperienced, under prepared and more than rude. Can Pete manage this odd assortment of characters all the while preparing for his much hyped ‘half’ marathon?”

The Fleet are to be ten online episodes brought to you by Fiat Professsional, the first one’s about 5 minutes so I expect they’re all around the same amount of time. You can visit the Lightfoot Logisitics website here. I rather enjoyed the first one, it’s familiar territory but quite witty for a viral campaign.