21/01/2014 The One Show

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

When America's hottest young star asked tonight's guest to join her

smash at show about a group of bright 20 something women, how long

do you think it took him to say yes? Why don't we asking? It is Richard E

Grant! Yes! Rigid, good to see you! Girls is an incredible show, how

long did it take you to say yes, I will come to New York. A quarter of

a nanosecond. That quick! Good! We will talk about it more later, and

we have got a bit of a challenge for you, because we understand that you

have this remarkable ability to smell things. What is that about?! I

obsessively smell things, I don't know whether I have any ability, but

he will put me to the test and obviously shame me. Used and lots of

time in London and New York, two very different cities, which smells

better? London. Can you describe the smell? Yeah... No I am going to

sound like somebody describing wine! A touch of ginger and a bit of...

No, it just has a great, it smells like London, you step out and you

know you are here, not there. As Matt said, there is a test later. We

have had a long commute today. We are slightly tired, to be honest,

because we woke up in Ayrshire, had a full Scottish. I had porridge.

Then we had a bit of a runaround. We were under starter's orders with

Prince Charles, of all people. Here we are, ready to go. There were

quite a few of us, more on that later. Richard was just smelling the

sofa! And? It has been recently cleaned. It is quite new, that is

why. We are in our third week now, only ten or so bottoms on there.

Many local authorities are facing tough decisions about what cuts to

make in order to balance the books. Councils have already axed millions

of pounds' worth of jobs and services, but is there a smarter way

to save money? Why not cut the councillors themselves? Here is

Justin. It is like being a police officer,

you go out on the beat and deal with whatever crops up. A good counsellor

is always busy. A self-made man with business

interests in the hospitality trade, John spent two and a half days a

week on council work. At around ?13,000 per year, he thinks he is

good value for the people of Bradford, but not everyone is

convinced. Which raises an interesting question, do any of us

actually need the number of local councillors we have got? Couldn't we

cut back a few, maybe save a bit of money? In Bradford, there are 90

councillors, three in each of the district's 30 wards. Across England,

there are roughly 3000 people to everyone counsellor. Some

authorities have already cut the numb of councillors to save money,

but John thinks, in Bradford, this would be a disaster. He is sure he

will convince me of his worth by the end of the day. Good morning! First

up, he is visiting a block of flats where residents have been

complaining about mould and damp. That has got mould on the inside of

it, hasn't it? And that window above it is full of mould. I come from the

angle that they have had their day, and to be blunt about it, they want

pulling down. Then it is off to his office to catch up with the day's

e-mails. We have got 86. 86 e-mails? That is quite a lot, and what is

that going to be, constituents writing to you, council business? It

will be many and varied. I have got to be honest, not all of this is

scintillating, is it? If you scan through, there are things that you

can make a difference too, and you can help with. The call to cut the

number of district councillors by a third in Bradford came from Judith,

the Lib Dem Deputy Mayor of Keighley. She believes that this

will save the council over ?400,000 per year. We are thinking of cutting

social care, planning to cut youth services, and yet they are not

thinking of cutting their own pay, they are not thinking of cutting

their own numbers. If you reduce the number of councillors, you will not

have enough people to run the committee is and airy committees and

planning. It would be a nightmare. -- area committees. A good

counsellor is always busy. I agree with that, but I do not think they

are always busy, draw your own conclusions! John, you put in a lot

of work, you work very hard, but not everybody works as hard as you. If

somebody is swinging the lead... Maybe we should have some attendance

charts. Do you mean to say you don't?! Only on major council

meetings. There should be a benchmark for measuring

performance. A large percentage of them would be well above that

benchmark. And attendance is an issue. In

Lincolnshire, a councillor who lived outside the county resigned

following criticism about her attendance record. In Liverpool,

Sharon Green was criticised for only turning up to a third of council

meetings. The Labour leader of Bradford Council, although a

political rival of John's, agrees that the number of councillors

should not be cut. At a time of austerity, ?400,000 could do a lot

of good for the people of Bradford. I do not think we should fall into

that. Of cutting down on democracy. But the is, I mean, one of your

councillors live in Spain! -- the truth is. He is not one of my

councillors, he is one of Bradford's councillors, but I

believe that he still works hard to represent the constituents who

elected him at the time when he lived in the UK full-time. Come on,

it is a bit ridiculous! You would have to take it up with him. He

lives in Spain and represents Bradford!

Whatever the machinations of City Hall, for John, being a councillor

begins and ends with small acts for his community, including fixing

gravestones. This is not strictly council business, is it? No, but it

is community business. I think, particularly in the economic times

we are in, the council does too much for too many, and now of course it

cannot afford to do a lot of it. And so we have got to go back to the old

ways and learn how to help ourselves.

Good effort! John is a godsend. He is a hard worker, isn't it? But some

councillors are not pulling their weight, but they were not there to

defend themselves. Sharon Green, who we mentioned, said she was not able

to attend meetings in July and September because of work and

holiday commitments. She says, I am a hard-working counsellor and I

represent my constituents. The Spanish counsellor, he says that he

has gone off and bought a retirement home in Spain, but he says, I am

committed, I will be there for every council meeting. So councils are

struggling to make these cuts, so presumably they are in a right

predicament after the recent floods. Indeed, a lot of damage

costing a lot of money to fix. A recent survey of highway managers

estimated the total cost of infrastructure damage at ?400

million. Cornwall alone, ?2 million to fix the roads there. Councils do

have a right to get emergency assistance, and the Association, the

Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and

Wales, the command said you could have 6.7 million. -- the

Government. They definitely say they need more money. Who could forget

this scene here when flood victim Erica Oliveira challenged David

Cameron when he visited Yalding in Kent just after Christmas? Erica had

been without power for days and managed to get a bit of an offer

from the Prime Minister. You have got a lot of furniture you need to

throw out, carpets and things like that. I will come and have a look,

I'm going to see the post offers first, but it would be nice to see

you. Well, we spoke to her this afternoon. David Cameron popped

around to the post office, but after that, he came around to her house,

and he did have a chat, and later the council did call her. She was

without power for five days over Christmas, she had a horrible time.

She had to eat her Christmas dinner with her family on the first floor.

It is because of customers like Erica that the heads of the big Alec

is the disturbing copies have to appear before MPs today. But -- the

big electricity distribution companies had to appear before MPs

today. The chairman said there seemed to be no expression of

concern by the firms, utter complacency. In their defence, they

said, listen, the weather was much worse than we expected, and the

plans did not work out as we hoped. They said they had to do repairs

from boats, trees they had to cut through. It did not help that the

industry body that represents them did not know how many people had

been without power for 24 hours, and by the end of the session Tim Yeo

said, he accused the companies of exploiting their monopoly position.

It was a tough time for them. Hopefully they will get some

compensation soon. If these pictures are anything to go by, David Beckham

could be heading to pack for a job in sales courtesy of Del Boy and

Rodney. -- Peckham. He is actually appearing in a one-off Only Fools

And Horses sketch for Sport Relief, and we were there for the launch

earlier today. It is Tuesday morning, and we are at

the very picturesque Dumfries house, trapped up to the sporting lines,

warming up because today we are going to be doing the Sport Relief

challenge. You can make every mile count by running, cycling or

swimming for Sport Relief across one weekend, the 21st two the 23rd of

March. Does it feel like it is going to rain? Let's get running, dodge

the raindrops. Over 100 runners are taking part in the challenge today,

including local primary schoolchildren and people from Sport

Relief funded projects. As well as doing our bit for Sport Relief,

there is a special reason why we are here this morning. His Royal

Highness the Prince of Wales is going to be starting the race, so we

had better get to the starting line. Let's not keep him waiting.

Good morning, your Royal Highness! How are you? We did a little warm up

around the front drive, I hope you don't mind. There is a lot of

excited evil out there, what does it mean to you to have the run here?

The great thing about Sport Relief is that involves so many people in

local communities, brings people together, and you all have fun,

doing a bit of useful exercise. And help so much for lots of

disadvantaged people in different parts of the country, so it is a

wonderful way, it seems to me, of raising money, doing it in a jolly

way. And essentially we are running around your garden, so is Touraine

difficult? Too many hills! It is relatively flat. When you think,

?195 million has been raised through Sport Relief... It is the Brits to

do it. We think they are waiting outside on the steps, we had better

get out of there. Ready, steady, go!

What a brilliant morning! It was quite a privilege, to be part of the

first mile. Running around Prince Charles' garden, quite nice. If you

want to cycle, run or swim for Sport Relief, the details are on the

website, and you have got long enough to train. Let's talk about

Girls, goodness me, we saw it on the in-flight magazine on the way back,

we couldn't believe it. And it is not on this channel either! That is

a good point, what is the series about for those who have not seen

it? The sex lives and emotional lives of four 25-year-old girls in

New York. It is what happens to them. Anybody who has left college,

school, university, that is what has happened to them. Where does your

character fit into this, Richard? I play a very old man, older than

their fathers, who meets one of them in a rehab facility and falls madly

in love with her. This is your character trying to pass on his

wisdom to that girl. When you are older your mind learns to let go of

things that do not suit you. Being young is terrifying as well. You

have all of the knowledge, but none of the language to persuade yourself

-- persuade yourself from the horrible truth of the world. If only

I could make the world a less gargantuan place for my daughter.

That is just one way that I protect her. Do you just not like watching

yourself? It is excruciating. Girls has been created, written and

produced by Lena Dunham, apparently the next big thing. Would you agree

with that? She is extraordinary. She is 27 and has been writing since she

was nine. She has written and directed two films with her family

and partner, and now has written this thing that has won Golden

globes. She has this incredible talent, but you would never know

that she is the person in authority. Everyone listens to what

you says and she never raises voice. You told one of our researchers that

it is an all girl production and the women are in charge. Yes. I loved

it, it was fantastic! It has been great for your daughter. She was a

big fan of the Spice Girls and now she is a driving force? Yes, when I

was in Spice World as the manager, she was so thrilled. I have earned

wryly points twice in my career with her. Everything else has been in

between. Not only are you in Girls, you're in this fantastic series

called Hotel Secrets, or you'd jet around the world, doing what? Job on

beds, stay in ?40,000 per night suites, and give the stories to the

viewers, and give the stories of who run them. What have you discovered?

They can charge $5,000 for a hamburger in mass figures. It has

foie gras and truffle sauce. Was their chips with it? It is a normal

burger and you get a certificate. They say the burger costs 500 and

the glass of fine costs 4500, so that is what you get. Girls

continues on Sky Atlantic. Many of the physical signs of our

long coal-mining history have long been demolished. Andy Kershaw was in

Yorkshire to witness the polling of the plug of another part of the

mine's daily life. Mining was the engine of British

industry for centuries, and a dangerous and dirty job. The miners

would be covered in coal dust and went home quoted in an oily

residue. In 1926, life changed forever. Bass and showers that to

date we would take for granted would now be provided by the mine. Life

improved immeasurably for the miners with the creation of pithead baths

like this one. Finally, they could get clean of the coal dust and grime

before returning home. In 1938, these pithead baths near Sheffield

were built. It was a transformation for the community here, which had

grown up around the mining industry. One of the curators at the National

Coal Mining Museum is and Bradley. You would come off your shift filthy

dirty and you would be dragging it back home. Miners would enter the

bass at the beginning of each shift and leave their clothes at the clean

end, then change into their pet gear. After work, they would do it

in reverse, having a shower on the way out. It was bustling, it was

noisy and there was chatter. Men could get showered and go off out.

But in 1994, the mine closed and a year later, the wheelhouse was torn

down. The derelict bats are one of the last remnants of the area's

heritage. This one-time focus of the mining community was about to

disappear. The bass are due to be demolished to extend this community

parkland. It is a poignant moment for those who have memories of the

place. Jorge Messi worked in the mine. I did 28 years. I finished in

November. It was rough. You would get grimy and you needed a shower.

Today, George is getting one last look at the locker room before the

demolition team moves in. I am looking for nine to seven, which are

used for 28 years. -- 927. Here it is. I locked that in November, 1990.

That was the last time I was in here. The demolition crew is getting

ready to come in. It is the last call for the pithead baths. How do

you feel watching this? It is sad in some respects, but the colliery

closed in 1994 and we have got to this now. What was the effect on the

community? People were reeling before they finally got established

into other things. George's bank of lockers is being flung on the

scrapheap. No matter how hostile the conditions at the coal face, the

pithead baths offered the miners comfort and respite from the

dangerous world of underground and created a social hub for the

community and a connection to the generations before. We have a

surprise for you. What did you say your number was? 927. There you go,

brother. Fantastic. Much obliged. Thank you. Is that all right? Yes,

lovely. I have got to carry this back the bus!

I rang George to ask in what he had done with the locker door. He said

it is in pride of place in the outhouse with his fishing

paraphernalia. Richard, at the beginning of the show we said that

you have a very good nose for sniffing all things sniffable. We

are going to put your nose to the test. We will start with the smell

in this box. Have a little sniff. You were in Spice Girls' movie, so

we need you to identify that spice. Is it came in seats? Almost. It is

cardamom. Now, this is one of your favourites. Oh, my God! There is

ginger and sugar... It is sticky toffee pudding. This one has the

royal seal of approval. It smells like a toilet! It is our smelly

socks from the Sport Relief Mile! I think they must have added cheese.

Nobody smells like that. Thank you for the humiliation! Carrie Grant is

like a musical Miss Marple, discovering the mystery and meanings

between iconic tunes. Tonight it is the turn of a Glastonbury anthem.

Officially recognised as a City of Culture, Glasgow is renowned for

producing great art of all kinds. Thanks to a classic song by a famous

Glasgow band, it now has a bit of a reputation for something else.

MUSIC: "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" By Travis.

This song propelled art school hopefuls Travis to fame in 1999.

With the city's weather at its wet worst, I am escaping into the

Glasgow school a tube meet one of its most celebrated ex-students,

Fran Healy, who studied here in the mid-90s. Were your hopes and dreams

to be an artist? The day I matriculated into the school was the

day I auditioned for the band. The two things when parallel to each

other. At what point did the scales tip from art to music? I think we

had rehearsed three times and it always clashed with life drawing

classes. I realised that I did not know how to finish a painting but I

could finish a song. Frank decided to concentrate on songwriting for

the band and signed on. -- Fran. It was tough. All my mates were at art

school having a great time, and I was on the dole, sitting in my room,

trying to write songs. As soon as you get it you think, oh, this is

how you do it! Despite four years of hard graft, a record deal and first

album, success still eluded them. But the rain cloud was to have a

silver mining went frantic aid desperately needed holiday. Where

did this on common? I was asking for sunshine, so I went to Israel. I

remember opening the curtains in my hotel and it was raining. I was

thinking, I have come all this way, and it was chucking it down. I sat

on my bed and I had my guitar, and I was playing and then it came on.

# Why does it always rain on me? # Is it because I lied when I was

17? Is it because I lied when I was 17? What is that about? I have said

to myself I am never going to set what that is. That line, for a lot

of people, is the hook of the whole song, the pivot of the seesaw. I am

not going to tell you what it was. I did lie when I was 17, but I think

everyone does! So it is destined to be raining everywhere you go because

of something you did when you were 17. I can't talk about it. Fran's

black cloud followed him to Glastonbury in 1999, but it was the

making of Travis. We went on stage, it was a beautiful sunny day and we

played Why Does It Always Rain On Me?, and began to pour with rain. I

remember everyone looking at us and thinking, oh, this is rubbish, this

has blown it. And then I got home that evening and they were talking

about it like it was something really good. Ironically, this

wash-out performance gave the band their first top ten hit and

international renown. He would not tell what he lied about

when he was 17. It must be quite big. I think he said he passed his

driving test first time. What did use it when you were 17, Richard? I

said I was good to be an astronaut. I had recently landed on the moon.

Was it to attract a girl? Probably. Girls continues on Sky Atlantic on

Monday night at ten o'clock. Tomorrow we are joined by Melvyn

Bragg and the coup Marquez Mac. -- and the Kumars. Good night.