15/02/2012 The One Show

Hello and welcome to The One Show, with Matt Baker. And Alex Jones.

With us tonight is an actor who has spent the last 22 years playing

Britain's best-loved Belgian detective, but who could he be?

am Poirot. Who are you? Sarge, there's some French gentleman...

not some French gent, I am Belgium. The gent behind the moustache is

David Suchet! Welcome! Brilliant to meet you. 2012 is going to be a

massive year for Poirot because you are filming the last five stories.

How will you feel? Relief, sadness? You have played him for so long.

have, 22 years. I will have been able to complete the last five

films that I can complete because after that, he is no more. That

will be it. We start filming in October. There's a clue there.

people know what happens. Can we give any clues at all? No. We can't

say anything. It does go much deeper than this because you have

actually played every single piece of literature Agatha Christie wrote

with Poirot in mind. Yes, there's a Poirot play called Black Coffee.

However, I will be doing a rehearsed play reading of that play

at the just that gas Chichester Festival Theatre on July 15th and

VAT, with five Poirot films, will mean I have done every word he

could speak. Superb. As a tribute to Poirot, we would like to see

pictures of you with one of these. Yes. A Poirot moustache! I'm glad

that's not on me. Sorry about this, David. Send them into the usual

address and will show some at the end of the show. There's plenty

more strings to David Stone van Poirot and we will talk about his

latest role later. Food manufacturers have been long

promising to make their products healthier, but do they always keep

their word? Not if you take a trip down the cereal Isle, where Anita

Rani has found a sweet deal that has turned sour.

Kellogg's, maker of Britain's favourite breakfast cereals. We eat

more of their food than anyone else's. According to their own

website, the Kellogg's philosophy is that improved diet leads to

improved health. So if Kellogg's promised two years ago that they

would reduce the amount of sugar in their best-selling children's

serial by 15%, they would have done it, wouldn't they? No. Coco Pops

are now even sweeter. We have had access to in your report on 50

breakfast cereals whose contents were tested by consumer campaigners.

A similar survey was compiled in 2009. Has anything changed?

good news is that across many of these brands, salt content has come

down. But in 32 out of 50 of the cereals we tested, the sugar

content is still too high. Still on healthily high. According to the

Department of Health, anything with over 15 grams of sugar per 100

Garance is deemed to be-but Coco Pops has more than double that

amount. 35 grams. That means a box the side -- size has this much

Neat pepper and her children from Cardiff. They are having breakfast

together before the kids go to school. Every day they have a good

breakfast, it is the most important meal of the day. They have the

energy to get to school, run around, focus on their work. And they have

good appetites so they demand breakfast. Kellogg's Coco pops up

often Top Of The Pops in this household. Are you enjoying that?

What is nice about it? It tastes like chocolate. That is a good

thing! There's no doubting that Kellogg's Coco Pops are fortified

with vitamins and even has added vitamin D, but there's no getting

away from the fact that two years ago, they said they would reduce

the sugar and they haven't. How will Pippa react? That is terrible

because that is a mixed message. It falls back on the parent. They are

your children, it is up to you to make the decision. Some supermarket

own-brand Coper pots contain even more sugar than Kellogg's.

Kellogg's don't deny the sugar content in Coco Pops has increased.

They say they remain committed to reducing the sugar in Coco Pops and

whilst they have had two years to do it, it is taking them much

longer to get there should be done than they first thought. They say

it is proving difficult. So should we be turning our backs on sugary

cereals? Dietician soup think so. Most are fortified with vitamins

and iron and that is a useful contributor of nutrients. And also

most cereals are eaten with milk so alongside the cereal, you get the

And it is not just the kids' stuff. Some cereals you might consider as

being healthy all round can be surprisingly sweet. Take Britain's

most popular serial, which is marketed in glowing healthy terms.

Kellogg's Special K even has its own slimming website, but for every

100 grams bowl of cereal, there's 17 grams of should do so it is more

than double the amount of cornflakes and for a box the size,

there is this much sugar. Kellogg's told us that it is important to put

these figures into context. Even a large portion of Special K, and we

are talking 60 grounds, as only two teaspoons of sugar in it, less than

a blueberry muffin. There is also clear labelling on their packaging

so people can decide if they want to buy their food or not. Meanwhile,

Pippa will continue to give her kids if the cereals they want.

Happy that her children are getting a balanced diet. But many believe

there's still much to be done. consumers should do is be careful.

Don't assume that because something is labelled healthy that it is

healthy. Check the details, check how much sugar you are giving your

children. The government have to sort out this mess. If the

manufacturers will not do it on their own, the government has to

set in and set clear rules that will make it easier for us to

choose a healthy breakfast. Lucy Jones is a dietician in the NHS. I

am slightly concerned as a parent because this morning, I sat around

the breakfast table and poured out four from bowls of a cereal high in

sugar mentioned in that film. How can censure by the? Were they all

for Yee Loo? No! We all had the same serial. We are not going to

tell you off for any one bad meal. It is not the end of the world. We

are looking at the overall trend in a whole day, a week, a year. What

we don't want to see is one nutrient, you're having that a lot

more than everything else. We want you to have a balance. However, we

mustn't get on the bandwagon of vilifying sugar. It is not the evil

of all nutrients. Have a lot of manufacturers have hit other

nutrients such as salt and saturated fat. We are concerned

that having too much sugar Cancun Sir -- cause dental concern. We did

go swimming afterwards! You burnt it off. Brush your teeth!

realistic is it to make sure children are eating below the

recommended amount of sugar? You can control it as a parent, but

once they go to school, 500 millilitres a fizzy drink can push

it over the limit. That's right, fizzy drinks are extraordinarily

high in added sugars. In a can of Coke, you can have loads of

teaspoons of sugar which you are not aware about. It is going to

depend on the rest of their diet. If you're having a lot of home

prepared foods that you are taking with you, you are probably find. If

you're having a lot of prepared foods, sweet foods, junk foods,

through the course of the day you will have too much. David, are you

a muesli nan? I said Sugar puffs! used to. I used to have those. I am

now doing high protein. I find when I am filming, when I'm having a

very energetic day, completely contrary to what I've just heard, I

have more energy on a protein diet than on the cereal diet. Do you

have a stake? I can do. I can't always do that because it is

expensive. I can make a sausage omelette and it keeps me going. I

don't have to snack and that is the trick. No snacking. That keeps up

my energy. I also tried to cut down on sugar and it is almost

impossible. You go to any supermarket and the cat ingredients,

it all has sugar. When it is no sugar, it has a sugar substitute.

It is very difficult to come off sugar but I am desperate to do it.

I get a big highs and bibelots. I don't like it. The Department of

Health have told us they are working with the industry to help

people need healthy lives. There are also links on our website on

how to reduce excess sugar in your diet. Lucy, thank you. The Sunday

on BBC One is the big final episode of the 1950s hospital drama Call

The Midwife. A lot of people will be gutted. If you can't wait until

Sunday, Lucy Siegle has just the prescription to tide you over.

has been out on the grounds to find out how lives of midwives in East

London have changed in 60 years. Called the midwives explores

problems of multiple birth and grinding post-war poverty against

the backdrop of the overcrowded 1950s East End. Today parts of the

area of London the midwives covered are unrecognisable from the 50s.

The heart of British banking, chic restaurant and a penthouse flats

sit alongside the old tenement buildings. But women still have

babies here so I'm here to see how midwifery has changed since the

1950s. Presumably they don't still ride bicycles! Never presume

anything. Marian Martin is a community midwife covering much of

the same area as the TV series. As uniforms are a thing of the past,

she looks a look like any other cyclist so what else is different?

Lovely to meet you. You do still ride bicycles have made yes. A what

about the schedule, is it still as busy? Definitely. We are still

seeing a lot of women every day. will tag along. I will run behind

you. A community midwife job has changed quite a bit since the 50s.

They will still support women through labour as well as seeing

them after birth at home or in a clinic. But happily, thanks to

advances in medicine, far fewer women die in childbirth these days.

Although berths are getting more complex and the age of mums is

increasing. He big change has been where women give birth. One-in-

three 1950s births were at home. Today it is just 2.5%. Hospital

isn't the only option. There's also birthing centres like this one.

There's everything the labouring Mum could ever ask for. A private

room, a birthing pool, right down to an iPod stock for some soothing

rebirth tunes. Everything apart from an epidural. If you need one

of those, you will need to be transferred to hospital. Much more

relaxing environment. You get a pool. Having a chance to stay

overnight together in your own space makes all the difference.

most important thing for women is choice. We are all different and

the different things at different times. Giving birth is something we

have done since time began and it is something we are able to do and

capable of doing and sometimes we need extra support and extra help,

but being able to see their rather options available is a really

positive thing. Miriam oversees around 100 bertha year. Only one or

two of those will be home births, but many midwives and will support

women if they want a home birth and they will create a sensible

birthing plan with them. I knew that for me, staying in one place

and just breathing and trying to let it happen was the answer.

far, so 21st century. It all seems very progressive in the world of

midwifery, with the emphasis on what Mum wants and needs. But did

this -- is it all better nowadays or is there anything we can learn

from the 1950s? Mary was a midwife in the 50s and began her training

in the East End. She only retired a few years ago and watching Call The

Midwife has reignited some powerful memories. It brought it back to me

how it felt to ride my bike with my equipment on the back. And help

women with their babies at home in peace. We knew the women were

attending by and large. We had attended them antenatally. You got

to know them quite well and they got to know us. A one of the major

changes you have seen in midwifery from the 1950s? I think it has come

through a bad time and it is facing a bad time. There's a tremendous

shortage of midwives. Many are looking after three women in labour.

They are finding this very difficult. I couldn't do it.

Royal College of midwives claims 5,000 extra midwives are needed to

keep pace with the birthrate and the increase in complex births.

Although the Department of Health says midwife numbers have risen

since 2010 and training numbers are at a record high. Despite the many

medical advances and changes in childbirth since the 50s, the

special and unique role of midwives in delivering babies remains the

same. I think you need to be kind, caring, empathetic. You need to

know your stuff and be able to act on any emergencies or difficulties

that you might come across. I definitely know that it is that the

You literally grew up in that world. Yes, in the 1930s, I was a young

boy, and I went with my father was a consultant gynaecologist in the

East End. That is where the series takes place. He was like a hero.

Yes, he was, like God, a nurse is used to curtsey when he walked down

the coral. I thought, that is my dad! And he worked with Sir

Alexander Fleming. Yes, when he discovered penicillin. But he did

not follow in his footsteps. wanted to what one point, but I

went into a different sort of theatre or starve we go from your

family to the O'Neill family. was starring in Long Day's Journey

Into Night. They are not the happiest family. It is

autobiographical. Eugene O'Neill wrote this play about his own

family. It was written to get it out on paper, and his family, his

mother was a morphine addict, his father was a controlled alcoholic,

a very famous actor, James O'Neill. The children in the play all suffer

from alcohol addiction as well. This is actually James O'Neill here,

the character you are playing. is from 1931. Goodness! It is a

very dark play, I studied it at university, what attracted you to

the role? It is one of the greatest roles in English-language theatre.

It is also one of the greatest plays ever written. It is a big

burden to carry, but it is known as the greatest American player of the

20th century, which is a huge accolade. Why do I take these

roles? It is at an emotional roller-coaster, laughter, tears, it

is sad, it will make you cry, all of the emotions will be wrenched

from the audience and from us. It is a huge, wonderful, dramatic play.

Is it's tiring, rehearsing, going into that. He has, it is, you have

to be brave and bold. The character that you are playing, he was pretty

much typecast, wasn't he? As you saw, he was typecast. He gave up a

really good classical career to become the Count of Monte Cristo on

the stage, and he toured all through America and never went back

to Shakespeare. That was very sad for him. That was 1930. TUC any

similarities? You have not been typecast through Poirot, but can

you see any similarities? There is one similarity, the Saints as James

O'Neill, in that I would have loved to become... -- the same as. I

would have loved to have joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for great

stretches, which I could not do when I was doing Poirot. I missed

that life that I had for over 13 years with the company, that is a

similarity. Some big names have played it, Laurence Olivier, Jack

Lemmon. You feel the pressure? I don't, because having been a

classical actor, I have played great roles where great actors have

played them. I saw Laurence Olivier doing this, and I saw Jack Lemmon

playing this role, so I try to block them out and make it my home.

I think you are as good as them, I really do. I hope so! You can see

David in Long Day's Journey Into Night from April 3rd. Over the last

few months, Ben Fogle has been exploring some of the small islands

of the British Isles. He was so excited to hear that his latest

trip was to a party island, we do not have the heart to tell him he

The Thames, they say, is liquid history. In its Serpentine 210 mile

roll to the sea, it has made nearly 90 islands. I am on a stretch

between Richmond and Windsor. For centuries, a hunting ground for

kings, but we are on our way to Tagg's Island. At just over six

acres, it is now a haven for The heat is one of the shortest

island crossings and ever likely to make. -- it is. But crossing this

narrow strip of water as a magical effect. There is a real feeling of

seclusion made or the more enticing because I know that I'm just a

swallows dive away from the heart of the capital. But the bird's-eye

view 100 years ago tells another story. In the middle of the island

is a hotel and entertainment complex that would have graced the

West End. The dandies of the day flocked to it. 1909 was right time

on Tagg's Island. One man put the money in, and soon his name was all

over it. He was a boatbuilder. came here and build boats 150 years

ago, he opened a hotel, rented out rooms, fishing tackle and boats.

That is where the name came from and the original hotel as well.

they did not get there by boat. They got there by train. Victorian

railway mania had parked a station just down the road at Hampton Court.

Piccadilly Circus was now just 40 minutes away. Future King Edward

Prince of Wales was on its like a shot. The bright young things were

on the next train. With Tagg's Island the hottest ticket in town,

the king of comedy came to see what all the fuss was about. Fred

Karno's genius made in a mint from the music halls. He showcased

Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy, becoming the first big

showbusiness agent. Ridiculously rich, he spent his summers here, on

his houseboat, the Astoria, the most expensive on the river. He

liked Tagg's Island so much that he bought it, complete with its

centrepiece hotel. It was 1912. He promptly turned it into one of the

most luxurious hotels in London. Forget the Ritz and the Savoy, the

Karsino was the place to be. Ebor room could take 700, great

cuisine, great orchestras. -- the ballroom. It was the best you could

have at the time, all the things he brought in when you for hotels and

restaurants in the UK, having a resident orchestra, having

regimental bands every weekend. Plus drew the doors and buskers, it

must have been a fabulous place to come to. There were fairy lights

around the gardens, again electric light was new at the time. If you

were anyone in royalty or show business, this is where you came to

be seen. A through the dark days of World War I, it became an oasis of

glamour. It offered a glimpse of glitz and gaiety if you had the

money. Its expense of exclusivity, though, was to kill it as an island

of dreams. The depression of 1929 hit Tagg's Island hard. The party

Fred Karno went bust in 1927. His hotel fell into disrepair and was

eventually demolished. The global economic downturn was to deal

another body blow to the glamorous age. But it was not quite the final

chapter. The 1960s saw a flick in its once-fashionable tale, and it

became a haven for hippies. These days, you need a few bob to have a

life here. You cannot build there any more, but the locals say, if

you listen very carefully, you can still hear them partying like it is

1899. You were loving that film. had six years on a narrowboat from

where I first met my wife, Stratford, all down the canals, all

over England and on to the Thames, the greatest river in the world.

fancied, but it is it practical? Can you get insurance? Yes, you can,

it is a wonderful hobby, relaxation. You have got to be very organised.

You have got to be very tidy. not for you! If it would suit

Poirot, but he would not like the water. If you need a bit and extra

cash, a simple haircut may be the answer. There is a huge demand for

Great British air from the makers of extensions and waves. Where

there is money to be made, Gyles Brandreth is never far away,

although he might have had more Having your hair cut usually leaves

you out of pocket, but some people are choosing to make a profit out

of getting a closed shop. They are retrieving their hair and selling

it. Human hair is used in wigs and extensions. Much of it is imported

from overseas. Recently, some buyers have started sourcing closer

to home. You can sell your hair on the internet. Specialist buyers

will pay cash for your curls. Melissa sold hers. I researched

quite a lot on the web. It was clear how to have your hair cut,

how to get it parcelled up, stick it in an envelope, and a few weeks

later I got a call to say that they would give me �50. How much did you

sell? I think about 20 inches. do you feel that someone is wearing

your hair? Slightly freaky! But also it is doing some good. While

some cut their hair by choice, some have other reasons. She suffers

from a neurological movement disorder. It was suggested that she

had brain surgery. Last year, we had her hair cut off. After surgery,

I packaged up the hair and sent it off. We spend the money on some

toys, but for her to receive �80 for it was very nice. She was very

excited about that. Graham runs a business in London that pays people

for their hair. So this is kind of the head that will be sent in to us.

It is like a boil-in-the-bag meals. We marked them and then we prise

them. That would be about �90. some people donate a whole head of

hair? They will go from very long to being shaved off. What is the

ideal head of hair? The most popular colour would be sort of the

brown colours. There is a premium for blonde. If you have 20 inches

of blond pony tail, that could be �250. �250? Hello, I have come to

Birmingham to find out how much money it would take four people on

the street to part with their lustrous locks. 40, 50, 60, 70? You

could grow it again in a few years! Would you be interested in selling

your head to me? No! Let's see what you have got. Eight inches. You're

not get much! 14 inches! 80 quid's worth. Nice texture. You would get

about 150 for that. I would rather keep it. Snip, �200 richer, five

months later you're sitting on it again. Nice texture, I would say

�120. Interested? Yes! You could grow it again. I think we have got

a sale! You might think that it is hare-brained, but don't forget,

there is money to be made from ladies looking for luxurious locks,

and even men of a certain vintage. I am spoilt for choice! Auburn, ash

blonde or the silver fox! I know which one I like. Don't you agree?

Isn't that lovely? On the hairy theme, thank you for the moustache

is that you have been sending in. David, you can start. Baby tried to

look like Poirot, I think I have lost a job. Isn't that lovely? This

is an Australian from West Hampstead, and that is real. Is

yours real? No, I have his say it is false but well-fed! This is

Keith McKay from County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Very good, this

is Luke from Northampton. This is a bit more Freddie Mercury! And this

is Stephen from Liverpool, he is dressed up as you on purpose.

good. We have been inundated, thank you. Would you look at the time?

Moustache! Thanks to David. You can see him in Long Day's Journey Into