31/01/2012 The One Show

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

Tonight's guest is an author who's written some of the nation's best

loved stories like Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities

and Oliver Twist. OK, we couldn't get Charles Dickens for obvious

reasons, but we've got the next best thing. It's Simon Callow.

APPLAUSE Good to see you. You are always so

smiley. Lovely jacket, as we were saying. Thank you. You have starred

as Dickens and now written his biography. We are coming up to

quite a busy time for lovers of Dickens all over the world? It's an

amazing and exciting thing to be around as a lover of Dickens at

this moment. 200 years since he was born in 1812. The centenary was a

huge event, with cakes given to every child in England. Pageants

and so on too. I don't know about the cakes. Every child? Every

single child in the country got a cake. But this year they are doing

fantastic things all over the country. In London, a wreath is

being laid in Westminster Abbey and great exhibitions at the Museum of

London, but I'll be in Portsmouth where he's born. I will be in the

house where he was born. In the actual house? It's still there.

Incredible. I'll be looking at it. I'll be dusting it. It's quite old!

You can never ever have enough Dickens so we thought we would put

some of his opening lines to good use, to will you introduce Lucy's

film? It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the

age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of

belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of

light, it was the season of darkness. The first traces of radio

activity from the Soviet nuclear power station have been detected in

Britain. In 1986 the Chernobyl nuclear disaster caused alarm.

known that the cloud contains radioactive iodine and that was

kuem late in the brain and cause cancer. The spread led to

widespread confusion as food bans were introduced in some European

countries and not in others. The British Government came under

pressure to react, after heavy rain washed radioactive matter on to

upland areas. This led to fears that sheep and lamb meat with

dangerous of potentially cancer causing radio activity could enter

the food chain. Restrictions were impofded on the movement of

millions of -- im -- imposed on the movement of millions of sheep

across the country. ElWyn Jones' farm is one of the farms still

subject to full restrictions. Today, some of the flock are being tested

using counters which check the levels of radio activity in each

sheep. Those that pass can be moved and enter the food chain. Those

that fail are marked with a dye and cannot be slaughtered for at least

three months. At the peak of the scare in 1987 around one in seven

sheep failed the radiation test in Wales. That figure has reduced

significantly over the years, but some of the sheep test for levels

above the limits. We had 10% out of one group failing this year. Last

year I don't think I had any fail, so it's hit and miss. On this

occasion the ten sheep which were tested were cleared to go to market

and it's because of pass rates like this that the Food Standards Agency,

which maintains the controls in the UK, is consulting whether to stop

testing livestock altogether. reason why we are doing it now is

we have undertaken lots of research, studies over the past two summers,

which shows that the risk is now very low. What is the failure rate

for sheep now? Well, if you look at last year, we tested over 70,000

sheep and 99.7% of them passed the test. It's been that level, a

fraction of a per centage for the past decade. I would be worried

about the 0.3% that had failed. levels we are currently finding in

sheep, you could eat a whole one of those sheep, with those levels and

you wouldn't be under further risk. There are some farmers who would be

happy to see the back of controls. David owns one of the eight farms

in Cumbria still subject to the post-Chernobyl restrictions.

would like to see them removed. I think after all this time it's got

to save us a hell of a lot of hustle, paper filling and ringing

people up to monitor and it's not necessary. Every sheep monitored in

Cumbria since 1991 has passed the radiation test. With the exception

of just four sheep which exceeded the limit in 2004. To be honest, on

this place, I can't see there is a problem now. It must be 20-odd

years since we have had any high readings and we want to get on and

farm how we used to farm before. Some Welsh farmers feel very

differently. They don't want the FSA to stop the checks. With

farmers getting paid �1.30 per sheep tested for the last 25 years,

some are wondering whether that is conButing to their reluctance to

drop it altogether. You've got 1,000 sheep and you get paid to

test them. Isn't that the incentive. I would rather all the sheep are

spot on. It's an income stream. is money coming in, but it takes a

lot of time to paint and scan them all. Why do you want it to stay?

When Chernobyl first happened it was a nightmare for our livlihoods

and as it is now we have got a system that works and the

confidence is there in what we sell and that's the last thing I would

like to happen, for the confidence to go. However, the FSA thinks a

return to how sheep farming was before shouldn't concern consumers.

Can UCATT gorically tell the people that this product is completely

safe? The risks are very low and if you remove all of the controls the

risks will still be very low. is here. When will the FSA make a

decision? The consultation ends next Wednesday, 8th, I think. Then

they say, we've heard tonight, they'll make a decision by May this

year. They have to go through the whole process. Now, the FSA would

say this is not really premature, because if you think in Northern

Ireland the restrictions stopped in 2000 and Scotland in 2010, so they

argue it's high time. Well, there's an interesting development with the

Chernobyl site, which is dependent on steel delivery? All sorts of

thing. This is a huge, epic engineering project, which is now

going on. In 1986 when it exploded, they had to put this sort of

temporary structure on it, made of steel and that reaches the end of

its life in 2016. Obviously they need to do something. They are

building what I can only describe as a gigantic shell. Look at this,

Simon. The proportions are extraordinary. It's 110 metres high,

so it could house the Statue of Liberty. It is also costing a

fortune obviously. It will be 1.5 billion euros and we saw figures

from last year that said that the UK had contributed 53 million last

year. That will last for another 100 years, so I guess our

descendants will have to decide what to do next. Thank you, Lucy.

Before you go. Could you give us another line to lead us into the

next film? I would love to. In front of Simon. Don't worry. Enjoy

it. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether

that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.

Here's Justin with a story of a Yorkshire hero whose tale has

scarcely been told. There's plenty to see in Barnsley. It's the

birthplace of Michael Parkinson, Women's Hour, Jenny Murray and band,

Saxon. But it's another one of Barnsley's sons that could soon be

attracting visitors to South Yorkshire. Visitors from as far

James Hudson Taylor arrived in Shanghai in 1854, aged just 21.

Hudson Taylor believed God had put him on Earth to convert the entire

Chinese nation to Christianity. How important is Hudson Taylor in China

now? He's massive. To us Chinese Christians he's like our spiritual

father. Because, at that time, millions of Chinese people never

heard of this person, Jesus Christ. Unlike other missionaries in their

stuffy, Victorian gash, he adopted the dress, style and customs of the

local Chinese, which allowed him to work in areas often hostile to

foreigners. He spent over 50 years in China and established over 600

churches before he died there in 1905. Today, there are more

Christians in China than the whole of the UK population. What do you

hope to do here? We want to create a trail, a heritage trail, to mark

his story. These Chinese Christians are the first to experience

Barnsley's brand new Hudson Taylor Heritage Trail. Taking in some of

the city's lesser-known sites. -- sights. One of which is this, the

Barnsley branch of Boots. Now, it may not look like a site of

historic significance, but it was here in 1832, that a man who was to

change the course of Chinese history, was born. How does it feel

to be here at the place that Hudson Taylor was born? Inspiring. It's

good to think about what he has done and how he has affected many

people's lives. It's always exciting to have heard of a name

and then see where he was born. trail winds its way through the

heart of Barnsley and I learnt just how much Hudson Taylor means to the

Chinese. I would say that the Chinese Christians feel we owe a

lot to Hudson Taylor. He inspired us. The grandfather of Hudson

Taylor built this church. Is it spiritual or bringing tourists into

Barnsley? It's both, because it's a good story to tell and raises the

profile of Hudson Taylor. If we can help people and boost the economy,

why not? Thank you very much. We were mentioning it's a big day on

Tuesday, because your book is out about Charles Dickens. There's been

countless books written about him. How would you say yours is a bit

different? I've been Dickens, as it were, having played him and

actually acted not only in adaptations because lots of people

have done that, but I've done the public readings that he did. I have

reconstructed those and done them, so what I have is a very, very good

sense of him as a performer and he was absolutely at his fingertips a

performer, first as a actor. Secondly, as a public man. He made

speeches all over the country, all the time for good causes and one of

the greatest public speechers of all time. He was one of the most

charasmatic men of his time. When he died he was without question the

most famous person in the world. Extraordinary phenomenon for a

writer of novels. You mention, going over to America, he didn't go

there and wave at people, but performed there? Yes. When he was

quit -- quite ill. He did performances in 3,000-seat stadiums

and he had no background as an actor, so it took it out of him. He

kind of killed himself with the readings. He had to do it. You feel

this in his books. You feel his performing them in them. You have a

sense of the writer getting in touch with you. Sometimes you only

see the characters when you read, but with him you feel him. Many

people didn't realise he was a performer, because we always knew

him as an author. If you had to compare him to an author today, who

would that be then? Can you think of anybody? It's very hard, because

firstly he was a great best seller and we have great authors, but in

addition he had this extra dimension of appearing from his

earliest book, from The Pickwick Papers, the feeling was he was

speaking for England. That he was the mouthpiece of the people.

People adored his novels. I'm not talking about critics, some of whom

were very picky about them when he came out, but the people of Britain.

They absolutely idolised this man. He felt he was on their side and

expressing the right, the truth and justice and also he was so funny.

He's the greatest humourist. world that he creates within the

book as well are extraordinary. He would have a couple going.

Unbelievably, when he was living in London he was writing The Pickwick

Papers and then started writing Oliver Twist then started writing

Nicholas nickle by. Such different novels you couldn't imagine, but

there is something about him which is almost incomprehensible in his

greatness. He had a Titanic quality about whatever he did. He pitted

himself against nature and felt he had to climb mountains. He went up

ver suefious whilst it was reupting. -- erupting. The wonderful thing is

he was also a wonderfully, easy generous man who loved to laugh. He

had his darknesses and they all stemmed from his childhood, which

was blighted by being put to work. Charles Dickens And The Great

Theatre Of The World is out on Tuesday. If now it is time for you

to read. Moly was dead. To begin with. There

was no doubt, whatever, about that. If that is pretty final. No need

for a visit from the street doctors! We are on a mission to

make Britain a healthier place and we are coming to you.

appointments, no waiting. Street doctors are ready to diagnose you

right here, right now. This week we are in Northern Ireland, meeting,

greeting and treating the people of Belfast. It are morning begins in

the famous shipyards where the Titanic was built. A team of

builders are harder work constructing a commemorative museum

and there are plenty of cases for us to see. How long has that been

there? Three months. One event is Dennis, who has been having unusual

feelings in his feet. A strange sensation. Like standing on paper

mache or foam. My first step is to check his blood supply. You have

lovely strong pulses. Then the sensation in his feet. This is

slightly blunted. Does that feel sharp? Yes. I then tried the soles

of his feet. A can't feel anything. You have got neuropathy, which is

basically damaged your nerves. These are the nerves that supplied

sensation but not power to your feet. There are several reasons you

can get this. Want is a vitamin deficiency called vitamin B12.

Another is diabetes. We definitely need to get you checked for both of

those. His GP can arrange these tests. There may be other causes

which mean he will have to see a specialist as well. In the

afternoon we set up surgery in the city centre. My first patient has

an itchy problem. A small red mark here. How tall are you? 6 ft 10.

This is like Exmouth. Have you been picking scabs? Yes. I can fix that.

Normally you get some dandruff with that. Yes, some on the bank. Anti-

My next case is Fillis, who has been in a lot of pain. I have two

bunions, but the one on the left foot is the biggest and most

problematic. What we mean is this thing. It looks quite sore. Bunions

are caused when the big toe becomes angled towards the other toes. It

is pointing out. That has increased the angle. Severe bunions can

become very painful and make walking difficult, but comfortable

shoes may be all that is required in milder cases. The most important

thing is to have padding under the foot. This is where the issue tends

to be. The definitive way of treating this is surgery. The

sooner you see an orthopaedic surgeon do better. In the meantime

get some padding under there. When was the last time... My next

patient wants my advice about a condition that affects millions,

including me. Hay fever ever since I was a young boy. I am now 22.

What symptoms? I have trouble sleeping at night, a blocked nose,

runny eyes, sneezing. I can do 16 in a row. Hay fever often runs in

families and frequently starts in early childhood. For many years

Malcolm has been taking tablets. But he wants to know if there's

anything as he can do next time he gets an attack. Tablets on the road

are not helping so you might find more relief from using a

combination of tablets and drops or spray. You can now buy them over

the counter. You can buy and nose spray that can be used twice a day.

Hopefully this year Malcolm will be able to keep his hay fever under

control. We caught up with Mark, who got cream from his doctors and

is starting to see an improvement. Meanwhile Dennis has undergone

tests and he is waiting for the results. We will be out and about

again soon, ready with a more remedies on the streets.

Brace yourself, Simon, because he comes our own Dickensian Street

doctor. It is Dr Gyles Brandreth! My great, great, great grandfather

was a Victorian doctor. The ailment he would have come across mostly

was tuberculous. One in four people in the 19th century in America and

in Europe died of TB. In 1898 there were 36 million people in these

islands, 70,000 died that year of TB. It began in the lungs and you

felt terrible, feverish, and you died. Dickens wrote about it, he

had characters, family members who died from it. His sister. Missed

dreadfully and made a character out of her. Yes, vaguely based on her.

This is like Dickens play! I can take your pulse. You have got news

on phossy jaw. One of the diseases he campaigned against, he wrote in

his household words, one of the magazines he ever did, an article

on the evils of matchmaking. Matchmaking was something that

happened as a result of the Industrial Revolution. We got

striking matches. The thing that lit up was yellow phosphorus, that

contained a phosphorus -- a poison. Over a period of five years you

would get cancer of the jaw. It would peel back your teeth and they

used to say that your jaw would glow in the dark. 5% of the people

working in these factories above these vats making these matches

died of this disease. Dickens was one of the people that campaigned

against it. This was part of the Industrial Revolution. People

making these matches did not know what was going into this mixture.

Eventually yellow phosphorus gave way to red phosphorus and the

problem was solved, but not until the 20th century. On a happier

note... Can I have a go at Reading? Having seen Matt Reid, I have got

my role model. The new Laurence Olivier. This is from hard times.

Now what I want his facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but

In just a few of our babbling brooks and rambling rivers lives

one of our most precious aquatic creatures, the white clawed

crayfish. These pressures crustaceans are the only native

species of crayfish in Britain and a key member of the waterways,

cleaning up the river beds as they forage on dead leaves and waste

material. But 95% of the population in the UK has disappeared in recent

years. They've been driven out by their larger and more bullish

American cousins. These armoured invaders were introduced in 1974

the restaurant trade. But a few escaped from captivity. They are

swarming rivers, competing with natives for food and the even carry

a plague, deadly to award British crayfish. They are like the grey

squirrels of the water world. Thankfully, an army of

conservationists have joined forces to battle against the invading

crayfish in every way they can. Kate O'Neill and a team from the

Environment Agency on the front line. In this particular river of

the signal crayfish are only 300 metres upstream. If we don't get

the natives out, they will be gone in a couple of years. When you take

them out, where are you put in them? We are taking them to a safe

haven. It is isolated so signal crayfish can't get them back.

Hopefully our crayfish will do well and maybe in the future if we come

up with a career -- solution, we can reintroduce them to the rivers

and the wild. Kate and the team are on a mission to collect the native

crayfish fish with the simple traps they liked a hide in. It is not

long before we find one. Fantastic! It is really big. It is a good size.

What is this? This looks like a dead crayfish, but it is actually a

mould. I assume this crayfish went into a trap because he thought it

was safe. It might feel a bit soft. Be very gentle. They are quite soft

and vulnerable. It is like a squidgy crayfish. And plenty more

of these precious crustaceans have been found along the river. She is

beautiful. They are so cute. I like them. It is a mini lobster.

freshwater lobster. It is fantastic. All of the crayfish are measured

and carefully checked over for signs of disease. And we need to be

checked over, too. Crayfish plague is easily transferred in wet mud so

all of a Wellington boots must be disinfected. Fishermen and dog-

walkers are being encouraged to keep their boots clean, too. But it

is not just out in the wild that crayfish are being saved. There's

another taking place -- another mission taking place at Bristol Zoo.

Jenny is rearing some delicate crayfish babies. You have

incredible breeding success. Yes, we have been really, really lucky.

The survival rate is 96% at the moment. It is still early days, but

we're doing really well. It is a sensitive animal. It doesn't like

hot water, it is quite fussy. is that? The combination of things.

Good water quality, monitoring them around the clock, making sure they

have a very diet. A lot of TLC. Essential especially for this

animal. It is absolutely adorable. What is the master plan with these?

Are eventually they will go to supplement wild populations. Back

in the wild, the team have tracked seven crayfish which are ready to

be freed at the top secret site. It is free of crayfish plague and

makes the perfect refuge. This is it, this is crayfish heaven. This

is a safe haven, a really nice lake. It is completely isolated and it is

groundwater fed so there's little chance signal crayfish could get

here. We keep it in crayfish in and get a nice population and

eventually they will breed and in the future if we do find a solution

to signal crayfish, we can release them back into the wild. This lake

is keeping the crayfish population safe for the future.

Thank you. Crayfish. Now for some very exciting news about the One

Show next week. On Tuesday, Feb 3 7th, we will be presenting the

whole show live from Buckingham Palace. What about that? We are

swapping the green sofa for the Queen's sofa in the beautiful music

room where we will tell you how to apply for tickets for an amazing

concert which is part of the Diamond Jubilee in June. We were

there yesterday having a sneak peek around the palace. Dressed to the

nines, on our best behaviour. best behaviour expert it was quite

remarkable. Gary Barlow will be our guest at night. And Alex and I will

be dancing the foxtrot in the palace to a piece of music with a

special royal connection. Severn -- seven! It is all happening on

Tuesday. Before the end of the show, we thought we would have some fun

with your Dickensian knowledge. He was a master with coming up with

ridiculous names. Can you spot the real dickens name from a fake? We

did all the archives. characters. Let's play... We will

give you a character named and you say whether it is true or false.

The first one, Anne Chickenstalker. Yes. Correct. Clemency Trifle.

No. But it is a good name. great name. Chevy Slyme. That's

real. Noddy Boffin. Yes, that's real. Rafferty Snobblegob. That is

a fraud! Miffy Jingle. Yes. Mealy Potatoes. Yes. We've run out of