Second Helpings

Saturday Night Heroes

I'm not really a big television watcher, but since Saturday night is no longer the event of the week on the social calendar and there are no nearby night clubs for the over sixties, I do admit to generally settling down with my knitting to view the best of what's on offer.

This past Saturday I was treated to viewing almost all my heroes from the past and present.

There was one programme listing the most shocking events in pop music over the years, which was interesting and heartbreaking. I remember almost all of them and sighed at the number of talented lives that resulted in tragedy. John Lennon’s assassination was unsurprisingly top of the list. The Beatles were my teenage heroes and as I’ve grown, so has my respect and empathy for John.

The live Saturday night fun programme we watch may not be amongst my top choices, but the hosts Ant and Dec are. They have become my favourite comperes and comedy duo of all time and I follow any programmes they host avidly. Their star guest for the last in the series this week just happened to be Robbie Williams, so I really was in seventh heaven. If there’d been a tennis match featuring Boris Becker on too, then it would have been an evening featuring all my heroes from over the years.

But my latest hero is rapidly becoming my all time favourite. I’ll confess to watching most of the music contests on television, simply because I love music. I’ll admit some of them are losing their initial shine and deteriorating both in quality and contestants. The Voice receives a lot of bad press here and I know a lot of people don’t like it, but I enjoy it and am not ashamed to say so.

The idea behind it is original and fair on all contestants and the fact they can all sing right from the start is a bonus in my humble opinion. The judging panel changes, but I believe they are all sincere and don’t irritate me as some judges on other programmes do. But the constant and the prime attraction of this show to me is one Will i am.

I remember reading about the work he does some years ago and even though I wasn’t a follower of the Black Eyed Peas I was impressed by what I read. Over time he’s been featured in more and more of our television programmes and a recent documentary about him literally brought tears to my eyes. I may be wrong, but he comes across as the most remarkable, intelligent, caring, futuristic and humble guy, as well as being cute.

The projects he’s involved in are close to my heart and his involvement in environmental issues and education for the underprivileged very impressive. His roots are lowly and he’s never forgotten this, his family or his faith. He has no arrogance about him, has a weird and wonderful sense of humour and an admirable philosophy towards life and people.

Excuse me waxing lyrical, but if I say anything when hubby is about, he just huffs and raises his eyes to the ceiling. Some people just don’t get Will i am, but I think I do and I’m pleased to be able to follow both his music and his appearances on British television.

I don’t think it was just the singing voice of Will’s finalist that ensured he became the overall winner of The Voice this year, but more the growing respect and love the British nation has for Will i am himself.

It’s never too late to find new heroes and I’m sure he’ll remain one of mine. If there were more people in the world like Will it would definitely be DOPE.