msc

New Zealand by 14 England by 3

If true, sounds like the Reaper had a 2 for 1 offer going on cunts (Milat, Baghdadi).

Just a general query for DDP players. Is there any previous DDP Qualifying obit source that you would like to see return? There were a number of them axed under TMIB's reign. List of axed DDP qualifying obit sources: Yahoo UK, MSN UK, Huff Post UK, Daily Record, Scotsman, Herald, Evening Standard, UTV, STV, ITV regional pages*, Independent (now online only). *I think Spade brought them back, but am unsure... In terms of new media which could be used, there isn't much of note: The National and Buzzfeed UK (ugh) don't really come across as worthy DDP QO sources. Someone has already asked if we'll consider the New York Times, which I vetoed on account of it not being British enough, or at all. Anyhow, having discussed it with the Cmme earlier, is there any of them folk would like to see return? I suppose this is also the open floor for folk to bring up rules changes which aren't possible and the like. There wont be anything that needs heavy website programming changes done, and the limit of 3 teams per person remains. Oh yes, there is a Cmme, but I'll let the others introduce themselves as and when they'd like.

He's been in poor health for years. In his 50s he developed a throat condition which meant he was only getting in about 20% of the air he tried to breath and needed a massive operation. Then a few years ago he got septicemia which led to toxic shock in his major organs and nearly died. Barely recovered from that and iirc he's had heart problems since.

Despite being a Scottish stereotype, so am I. About time New Zealand lost a bloody match at the Cup for the good of the sport.

For your list, maybe? Phyllida Law (1932) - former Play School presenter and Jackanory presenter, also acclaimed TV/film actress, and Mother of the Magic Roundabout and Emma Thompson. Valerie Singleton (1937) and Peter Purves (1939) surely need no introduction. Anita West (1935) also lives. David Graham (1925) - Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Dr Who

Oh I don't expect it, but you know, as a political geek, the chance to see a British PM lose their own seat at an election is literally a once in a century event. Although if I were a Tory MP, the one place I wouldn't want to have my seat (Other than the South West where theres a strong Lib Dem challenger, or Scotland v the SNP) is London.

Labour win their 83rd target seat (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) and I'll have a very merry Christmas of schadenfreude, indeed.

Duncan Forbes dead at 78 with ITV obit.

Another one for you @Bibliogryphon. Thanks to Talking Pictures I've seen Elizabeth Sellars in three things this past week (Three Cases of Murder, Jet Storm and now Repent at Leisure) and apparently she's still alive aged 98.

He's a big name American sports star, apparently. And he has had terminal glioblastoma since sometime last year so if he makes it to 2020 he'll have done very well indeed (and will probably be on enough teams to make the Drop 40 bonus).

I picked him a year or two ago for my Dr Who DDP theme team but he's not really made much traction elsewhere. Now if anyone else wants to pick him in next years DDP that opens up a space in my "Get 'em on the DDP" theme team.

Hopefully. Though I suspect Sutcliffe to be the next killer on the DL. George Blake escaped 5 years into his life sentence but is also gravely ill nowadays, apparently.

Going to take a while, she has a lot of Drol-Blockers ahead of her on that list.

Ray Glindon, North Tyneside, he's one of the current council "bosses" there. BBC Local pages QO cert. That is if that post isn't postmortem...

It ain't a QO but Gerneths death is in Bild, the biggest newspaper in Germany, where he lived. So yeah.

Incredible. A pick I avoided for once!

I have Vervoort so am in the losers spot for sure now.

If that happens, I'll accept! Might need to give a few boxes to Sean for the shock, though.

Yeah, that wasn't a prediction, just a spot for some historical trivia. Although did you see the BBC accidentally spoiled the next election on BBC news the other day by putting up the wrong graphic?

5 December elections in UK history and there was heavy anti-government swings in 3 of the 5! When Gladstone gave some poor folk the vote, and when the Tories won the Boer war, no swing against. When there was 2 elections in one year and folk blamed the government for the death of Edward VII (ie Timothy West), the infamous coupon election, and the 1923 first Labour election win all produced backlashes against the incumbency. This is what we call a coincidence, but an amusing enough one to bring up anyhow.

This is why I like Inside No 9, 30 min anthology series so a bit like ToTU and they tend to nab strong casts per story. Also, Timothy West was in one of them too!

Now I want to be contrarian and say Nicholas and Alexandra! But yeah, Royal Jelly or King Edward are the standouts imo Although a role not mentioned that easily jumps to mind is as angry bipolar academic Professor Furie in an episode of a Very Peculiar Practice. Manages to steal the show off Peter Davison, David Troughton and Graham Crowden, no small feat! Anyhow there is a Canal Journeys on next Sunday, but its another hastily put together clip show. Which suggests to me the channel wanted a proper new series but health got in the way.

They do it to inspire paranoia in middle aged readers imo.

One thing I didn't know till watching the recent documentary is that, even right up to when he was dying of cancer, Bobby Robson used to check up regularly on Gazza to see if there was anything he could do to help Paul, and would phone him regularly when on the wagon to encourage him.