Its that time of year again…..Eurovision is upon us.

Now for someone that doesnt follow sports it is my once a year time to get worked up over an event shared by millions all over Europe and slightly beyond.

There are plenty of acts this year to get excited about and some, as usual, to forget, but that is the beauty of the diversity of the Eurovision Song Contest. Something for everyone to get excited about, to be moved by, to scorn and to laugh at, good bad and indifferent.

I have just watched the first of two semi-finals and I enjoyed it, I had already picked five of the winners of this heat, so not too bad. I’ll have to see how well I can do in the second part. Some surprise winners and some not so.

The voting changes appear to have evened the playing field. I dont hold with the block vote theory 100 percent of the time, I think cultures mix in a competition where most countries are bordered by at least one other country, unlike the UK and Ireland which both sit alone in the water and would probably vote for the USA if it were part of this. That is how we are, culturally and so why can we find it so hard to accept that others are also culturally aligned with their neighbors or past rulers .

Again, this year is a multi-event festival of music, dance and spectacle that has spawned a merchandising frenzy with books, CD’s, DVD’s and much more. A big business with goods being sold all over the world. Eurovision is no longer just a bit of fun, it is big business and we should give it a little more respect.

To that end, I personally feel it is time for out commentator of choice, Terry Wogan to step aside gracefully this year or next and allow the show to move on.

Terry has been a joy to listen to for many years and has helped the British public stay with the competition through the bad times with his quick witted quips and observations. However, times have changed and even the head of the Eurovision himself has stated he step down as he merely perpetuates the myth that the whole event is to be merely laughed at and scorned as some circus sideshow, that the performers, in the main, are less than the finest europe has to offer.

These views are no longer true. While we in the UK may watch and scorn, the rest of Europe is participating and utilising the fame and fortune a stint at one of the most watched television programmes in the world can offer. Its time we stopped mocking and embraced this opportunity and integrated it into our world.

I could talk for days about this and the thoughts here are written with speed. I could and should let them form more into more intelligent and intelligible sentences and then release them into the wild of my blog but hey, that is the way blogs work isnt it so you will just have to accept this as is for the moment.

I would love your comments, what are your views out there in internet land? Share! People Share!

When Des was around, Women weren’t allowed to read blog postings!

If a woman read a blog posting then her husband would think she were trying to be more intelligent than him and lock her in a cupboard for a day with no food or water.

This might be a line from one of Marc Wootton’s new characters in his new BBC Three series, Marc Wootton Exposed.

Having watched his excellent Shirley Ghostman character send up the paranormal spectacular that is Most Haunted, I was already a fan.

This new set of characters is unlike anything I have ever seen before, each one makes you laugh before taking you on a personal journey into their lives that will bring tears to your eyes before being dipped head first in some more hilarous situations.

Each character has a back-story and you will understand exactly why they have arrived at this point in their lives and react the way they do.

If you want a couple of spoilers then head over to Marc’s website, Fooling Nobody.

Characters include: Una the terrible tourist guide with a terrible past, Candy the stand up comedian with no joke (What’s all that about! I mean cumon!), The man that thinks he is a vampire, the out of control devil child, Pip the pretentious emo pop star who see’s meaning in everything, Noodle the retro punk artist and my favourite Doris the woman that wasnt allowed to do anything by an abusive husband (much funnier than it sounds here!)

Be aware, this is the next Little Britain he is gonna be huge!

Yes, you too can talk like your favourite Torchwood member, todays lesson Gwen the feisty ex-policewoman now fighting the alien invasion in where was it, oh yes Cardiff, silly of me, obvious really, erm….LOL

Now are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin:

1) Say Noah twice, as in the 40 days and 40 nights and a hell of a lot of water.

2) Now add in the word Reece in the middle, Gwens hubby in said series.

3) Now go one step further and put the word “ah” right behind Reece,

let me re-cap and its best to say these loudly and with emotion:

Noah Reece-Ah Noah

4) If your working it!) Now go full on Welsh and scream it out!

Don’t forget ALL NEW TORCHWOOD Wednesday 16th BBC2 and Saturday 26th BBC America.

Torchwood UK

Torchwood USA

*Torchwood, Gwen, Dr Who, Doctor Who are all trademarks of the BBC.