20/09/2011 The One Show

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

Tonight's guest has worked in a shoe factory. He's been a

footballer. He was in the RAF. had a chat show that ran for 45

years. Oh, and he dated Shirley Bassey. It could only be Des

O'Connor! Welcome, Des. This is like a second home for you, isn't

it? Most was done for the other channel but I started my talk show

with the BBC. 1963. 1684, it was! Were have a lovely picture of you

squeezed between two cheeks. Which moment really stands out for you?

It would have to be an audience with... I kept putting that off and

then your wife said you have been rehearsing for that for 45 years,

just do it! I could see all of these famous faces and that can be

twitchy. My little girl was interviewing everyone after saying

"what was my dad like?" I will be finding out how you personally

inspired Downton Abbey, don't say any more now. We may be a nation of

pet lovers, but alarmingly the number of cats abandoned across the

country is on the rise. Simon Boazman has been finding out why

cats have been causing a problem on the street and what we can do to

help. There is a growing menace on our

streets. The population of stray and feral cats appears to be

getting bigger, and soon we could have pussies galore. It is

estimated there are around 2 million stray cats in the UK at the

moment, and capped charities are really struggling to cope. Part of

problem is the breeding rate of caps, who frankly give rabbits a

run for their money. One cat that has not been neutered can produce

18 kittens in the year. In Chester, a group of feral cats have been

creating noisy, smelly havoc in the back garden of Mrs Davis. Charity

Cats Protection have been called in to help, and I will be giving them

a hand. I have been practising my reactions all night because today

we will be catching some feral felines. If we do, we will be doing

something unthinkable to their unmentionables. Feral cat defer

from stray cat as they were born in the wild and will never be tamed,

but stray cats could be rehomed. How difficult is it to trap a feral

cat? The two is not necessarily that easy. Obviously food is the

main incentive. Because of the cover they feel quite safe, and

there is a trail of food to entice them in. How Ancell and Gretel.

That is how it works. They walk into a trap, and it works the

mechanism to shut the trap. there any cat that you see around a

lot? One that you really want. Mother cat is what we call her. She

is probably in the bushes, or watching. Cats Protection work to

neuter a cat every three minutes but they can only do so much in the

face of cats' breeding rates and things can get out of hand. You get

to the stage where there are not enough resources and also an

increase in disease with an increase in the density of

population. We get more caps becoming ill, as well as other fat

there would be more nuisance from urine spraying, that sort of thing.

If you have got a feral colony at the end of the garden, what can

people do? The most important thing is that people should get their own

domestic cat neutered, and to have it done before they reach puberty.

Sadly we are seeing more abandoned strays, and I do think the economic

problems are adding to that, then those kittens that are born in the

wild will become the start of new feral colonies. We can't neuter one

if we can't catch one. It is not just the rampant cats themselves to

blame for their numbers. Domestic owners have a role to play as well,

and there are concerns people are not neutering their caps at all.

lot of the time when people phone the Animal Centre they don't want

to neuter their caps, sometimes simply because they don't want to.

Rescue homes are finding it tough, with some charities reporting the

amount of caps they are taking in as up by 50%. Hazel and Pauline run

a rescue centre that takes in both feral and abandoned cats. The cats

that were feral if you hadn't brought them here, how much of a

pressure are they putting on your resources? There are genuine cases

every single day where it is a bereavement or analogy or a phobia,

and we have to say no. Back in Chester, feral cats are keeping

away from the trap. I can't say I blame them, but one of the team

caught previously is getting released after being neutered. Cats

Protection spend �5.5 million last year neutering. It is a constant

battle in the face of breeding rates and reluctant owners, and if

lost it could lead to more caps than animal-loving Britain can

handle. If you are worried that you can't

afford to get your cat neutered, please speak to an animal charity

for advice. Des, you are embarking on a brand

new project, so you started rehearsals yesterday for Dreamcoats

and Petticoats. Don't ask what I am wearing! It will open at the

Playhouse in London on 3rd October. Give an idea of what the musical

was about. I have done a few shows in the West End, so here I am a new

boy in a musical and I am hoping to win most promising newcomer.

Basically it is a fun show. When I went to see it, I thought well I

really like this? There are teenagers, and it is just a fun

show. A very talented cast of musicians, singers and actresses,

and I am playing two parts. varying age as well, a 40 year-old

and a 60 year old. And they are wrong on both counts. That is a

complement in itself. I am really looking forward to it because I am

getting to see new songs. I have got to do a concert in Cardiff on

Saturday night, and there I work with real musos, but there are so

many brilliant songs to be doing. Suddenly I really feel I might be

40 again. Seriously, with no disrespect you are three months off

80. There are two is just the number. But you are still sparkling.

You have a young wife as well, and is your some seven? Seven tomorrow.

You will be doing eight shows a week. Ruling. It is all right and I

don't mind the driving. You have to go to people's towns and it will be

just great. It is something new, a new challenge. That is the lovely

thing about show business, you have never done it all. There is always

something new to drive. Let's hope two turn up next time! Speaking

about your wife, explain how you managed to inspire Downton abbey.

asked her to marry me, and I didn't rush because we had been engaged 17

years, then we got married four years ago on September 16th, 2007.

It is just such a lovely place. I gave the producer a clip of part of

the wedding. So you got married where they film Downton Abbey.

There you are, looking lovely. is definitely more upstairs than

downstairs, to be fair. There is a lovely moment when Jodie was

getting very emotional during the bows, and you could see she was

about to cry, and he shouted out "mummy, I love you". The key to

success is longevity, but in your time you have had some critical

fans. Let's have a look. That is the best record Des has ever made.

There is nothing on it at all! Where did you get it from? Books.

Did you need a prescription? I got it at the poison counter. How do

you do? Have you seen his nose. It looks like Concorde coming out of

the hangar for the first time. And those teeth! What's the matter?

like him. Magical. We shouldn't really naff. They were special.

Whatever you said to Eric, he had an answer. I once said I have

become a limited company, he said "so you should, you are limited

performer". Sometimes the kid's got the bad end of it because kids at

school can be very cruel, and my mum got uppity about it, what is

that man say about you? But he was a lovely man. Coming up, Christine

Walkden is here to tell us about what we need to do in our gardens

in the light of the news today that the second autumn is here.

first she has been wandering around another celebrity's garden.

If you pick the right time to come and visit this garden, and wait

very quietly, you are likely to see some beautiful guests. This is a

garden for people who loved everything about nature. It is in

Norfolk and belongs to Liza Goddard. As an actress, she has always been

a favoured, but for 20 years she was also president of a wildlife

organisation. Her husband David made the classic wildlife film,

Tajo the otter. What does this garden say about you? I hope it

says variety, colour, vibrancy. The most important thing is that it is

my sanctuary. I had breast cancer 11 years ago now, and at that time

the garden was extremely important because it was it safe haven and a

place to heal. Her garden is also a sanctuary for her rescue dogs, and

for a few plants that you might not expect to see in a well cared for

garden. I like the fact you have some weeds in your garden, that

speaks of a true gardener, in my opinion, that you appreciate both

the culture and wildlife in nature. This is a beautiful plant and most

people pull it out. It is statuesque and beautiful. At the

bumblebees love it. Here we have the herb garden and we have some

weeds in their. A little tip for you on the stocks, though they are

scented they won't attract money in sacked because double flowers tend

to be sterile so you don't get much nectar. I thought because it was

highly scented it would attract them. No, because sometimes with

the amount of sent the nectar is reduced. A beautiful pergola leads

you through to one of Liza Goddard's favourite spots. This is

my collection of dragons, they remind me of places. This area has

a devilish quality to it. Yes, and best of all is the view. It must be

beautiful in the evening to come down here, have a gin and tonic,

beautiful scenery. Labradors at We put up a nest box, and within

two days, they moved in. That is why it is so important that people

put up nest boxes. The barn owl is particularly endangered. The nest

box has saved them. It must look beautiful at night, with them

gliding over, swooping in. When I was ill, my garden was so important

to me. I do think that nature has a very healing aspect for us. We need

to sit and be quiet and just look at things growing, and stop the

head mind and start listening with your heart of mind. As they grow a

garden, and grow a soul? Beautiful. I love that.

I am sure most of the UK is feeling peaceful after watching that. And

you love weeds? Of course I love weeds. She is sitting next to me!

What a specimen. We have a picture of your garden, Des. I just need

you to invite me round. What would you do? I would have lots of shrubs

and flowers. And there would find out what tickles your fancy. That

has nothing to do with the garden. You don't know if you have never

had it done. I like it when its nose. Then my garden looks as good

as anybody else's. -- when it snows. The job is yours if you wish. That

garden was beautiful. What is this news about a double autumn,

Christine? Some authorities are saying that because we saw and

believes a change in August, they thought autumn was here, but it was

not. That is the plants' reaction to shortage of water. We are now

beginning to see subtle changes of colour that are due to changes in

temperature and conversion of sugar into starch. So autumn does not

really start until we get cold weather. The des was a gardener,

what should he be doing? He should be collecting seeds. Things like

delphiniums and bedding plants. Collect them when the flowers

finished dying of, so the seed capsules turn from green to brown.

Coalite them in envelopes, label them. Tie them up and then put a

bit of silicate, the things you get in your hand bags and suitcases.

Put them in the bottom of the fridge, and you have lovely seats.

What are you laughing at? I am imagining myself looking for seeds.

The other thing you could do is beautiful scented roses. Take-off

the top of the flower. Have a sniff of. What a button hole it would

make. We can propagate these so easily. Just divide a stalker in

half. Careful! I know what I'm doing. Strip off the leaves, take-

off the thorns. Then pop that in a pot and by next May, it will have

grown and you will have new roses. The other thing to do at this time

of year is continue to plant a few lettuce seeds so you have fresh

salad. You could have a window-box. You could have it all around your

swimming pool, looking glorious. There is plenty to do. Can I keep

this? Christine, last night you launched balloon week for us.

at those strips of colour. British tulips at their best. Well, tonight

it is Jamie Crawford's turn. He get a bird's-eye view of one of the

most famous and mysterious landmarks in the world.

In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers took to the skies in the very first

hot-air balloon. Realising bombs could be dropped from the air, the

French military what turn them into weapons of war. When the rest of

the world found out about the French error static and lighter

than air flying device, it sparked concern. But the hot air balloon

had a major drawback that made it virtually useless for invasion. It

was completely at the mercy of the prevailing wind. Nevertheless, the

balloon was used on both sides of the Channel for aerial

reconnaissance. In Britain, by 1906, the Royal Engineers balloon caught

up to this guy, testing the military applications of aerial

photography. And by chance, they chose as their subject one of

Britain's oldest archaeological landmarks, Stonehenge. But no one

could predict that these images would open up a vivid window into

our ancient past and give rise to a whole new school of science, aerial

archaeology. So what exactly did early archaeologists see in wartime

surveillance maps which got them so excited? Helen wick stead is an

aerial archaeologist. When you think of archaeologists, most

people think of people are digging around in a muddy trench, not up in

a hot air balloon. What does an aerial view bring you as an

archaeologist? Aerial photography helps us because we get a sense

from aerial photographs of how a site relates to another site, how a

road might relate to a settlement. It gives you a different way of

approaching the relationships between people and places. But the

real advantage comes from detecting a phenomenon known as crop marks,

almost invisible from the ground. When you have buried archaeological

remains, they often contain water. That has different effects on plant

growth than the surrounding areas. That line is one of the earliest

sites to be identified with a crop mark. You are picking up changes in

the vegetation that are causing that. These are things you do not

notice from ground level. Right now, we are sitting on the Bank of a

processional way that goes up to Stonehenge, called the Stonehenge

Avenue. It goes off down there and curves around here, and then there

is a crop Mark heading towards the river. Beyond those trees, you

could only see it from the air. Aerial images revealed an important

link between Stonehenge and the river. Many experts now believe

this was how the giant stones found their way to the heart of Salisbury.

We are going to follow in the footsteps of the Royal Engineers'

first aerial photos, taken more than 100 years ago. Look at that.

Stonehenge was a magnet for activity. The Bronze Age burial

mounds, there are hundreds of them in the area. Talk us through what

we can spot from here? The obvious thing is Stonehenge itself. But we

can also see the bank and ditch around it. The Avenue coming out of

Stonehenge, there are two lines. The avenue is visible as an

earthwork. For some distance, the rest of the course is one of the

earliest discoveries of the burial archaeology. It runs for three

kilometres in total. It starts with the gap in those trees, and

continues behind us to a gap in the trees further up. It is a monument

that is earlier than Stonehenge. See that circle? That is a Bronze

Age cemetery. There is a whole cluster of them. Some have survived

better than others. With crop marks, although you can see the colour and

height differences it causes on the ground, it is once you get a bit of

hype that you can see the patterns they make. If you are getting up at

dawn for anything, I highly recommend that you get in a balloon

over Stonehenge. It is incredible. The hot air balloon may have had a

chequered history when it comes to warfare. But as a time machine, it

has revealed a view of the world that historians could only dream of,

and shown us this ancient landscape that has always been right under

our noses. Have you been up in a hot air

balloon? I am all for hot-air balloons. Having been the father of

the bride when my daughter got married, whenever -- I had a pain

in my wallet. Richard Branson had a ceremony where you could get

married in a balloon, but only two people were allowed. I am all for

that! So you are busy rehearsing, but you have also try your hand at

some poetry recently? Every time something silly happens in my life,

the thing is to write about it. I have just come back from Spain.

Security has gone mad now. They have now got a thing called a full-

body scanner. It can see right through your clothes. It shows all

your lumps and bendy bits, and I am a bit shy about those. Then they

took away my nose clippers. Saw them as a threat, I suppose, like I

might burst in on the captain and pull all the hairs out of his nose!

One thing you are not shy about is going grey. I am not shy about that.

You still have a full head of hair. Have a look at this. This is

Britain's oldest supermodel, Daphne Selfe. She was strutting her stuff

yesterday for London Fashion Week. She is 83 years old. Are you try to

fix me up? No, you are married! With agencies signing up silver-

haired models to fund their new advert campaigns, being Cray --

being grey has never been so cool. Is it time to ditch the dye? We

sent Joe Crowley to Coventry to see if you agree.

As the fashion world begins to embrace the silver Barnet, what do

women on the high street think about their greying locks? It is

your perception of what great represents. Getting older. There is

a perception that there is no place for older women, so women want to

hang onto their youth. I have never coloured my hair. I believe in

growing old gracefully. How old were you when you found your first

grey hair? Probably early twenties. A long time ago. Have you found any

yet? Yes, two. My partner and I argue. He claims he has found one

in my hair, but it is blonde. have mine coloured, as you can see.

Looks lovely. What happened to those two grey

hairs? Pulled them out! There is no doubt that few of the women I met

feel brave enough to expose their grey hairs to the world. So I guess

it is up to me to lead the grey revolution.

How many have I got? Only about two or three. You are all right. Des,

one of the many things you have done in your incredible career at

is present game shows like Take Your Pick. You did not say yes or

no. Do you go to movies a lot? really. No. Do you like spicy food?

There you were with your lovely hostess Jodie, who became your wife.

We are going to play you at your own game. I will be your hostess.

Is he going to be me? Who knows? It is time to play this. Yes, Des, I

will be you. For one night only. You know this game better than we

do. Try not to say yes or no. We will clock up how many times you

say yes or no in a minute. Are you ready? I am ready. Have you ever

done this live? No. Yes! Ready? The Times starts now. Is your middle

name Bernard? It certainly is. Bernard? Bernard. Bernard? Bernard.

Where we are borne? In a bed. it Stepney in east London? It was

Stepney. This is harder than I thought! Do you ever go back there?

Occasionally. But there is no plaque on a wall. Is it true that

your teeth cost �5? What? Your teeth. My teeth? They cost more

than �5. I have an implant. Do you have a sister called Pat? I have a

sister called Pat. She's called Pat was my she is called Pat. Were you

a pilot in the Royal Air Force? Yes! He is she 20 months younger

than you? She is 20 months younger than me, yes. Have you been married

many times? KLAXON.

Fair play. Only two gongs. It is not easy. Bears, it has been

brilliant to have you have. You can see Des in Dreamboats And

Petticoats at the Playhouse in London from 3rd October. Is that

right? Yes. Bears, you are going to a costume fitting tomorrow.