Jeopardy UK Has Been Cancelled (Again!)

I have just read that ITV has cancelled Jeopardy UK.

The quiz show, hosted by Stephen Fry, was reintroduced in January 2024 following a handful of other incarnations since the early 1980s. The latest version lasted for two seasons.

I've always enjoyed watching the programme, so I'm somewhat gutted to see it canned once more. 

The news was exclusively revealed by TV Zone on its website and via its social media platforms.

I felt the productions was top notch for the Fry edition. It made it feel more like the American version.

I don't hold out much hope on the series coming back any time soon. The previous edition - ahead of the 2024 relaunch - ended in 1996.

If past history is anything to go by, and my tongue is firmly in my cheek as I write this, we should see the next Jeopardy UK relaunch in 2053.

Fourth Time Unlucky

I've been sat at this screen trying to think of something to write. 

I have began THREE different topics only to stop after a paragraph, say 'nah' and then delete the words to start something new.

As you can see, the fourth attempt is to tell you there were three previous attempts. I might end up writing posts about the earlier three, so I won't spoil anything with teases.

I'll return tomorrow. Hopefully with something better.

A Festive Blast From The Past (Yes, In February)

I had one of the most welcome blasts from the past experiences I could ever have this morning.

As usual, I was browsing through the YouTube app while having my breakfast. One of the videos recommended to me stood out.

The thumbnail was of something I hadn't seen since my childhood. I had to do a double take to ensure I wasn't seeing things.

There, in the photograph, was a badge of Father Christmas inside a chimney. 

I owned one of those badges. So did my sister. I can vividly recall the day we were given them as well. 

Our aunt used to look after us on weekends when my parents were at work and she would take us for a walk to the shops around the area she lived. She would always treat us with toys from one of the stores there. 

On one of those visits, we came across these Father Christmas badges that had a red string underneath the chimney. You had to pull the string to make the character pop up. Santa Claus would then fall back under the chimney once the string was let go.

This is a Christmas novelty item I have thought about on various occasions through my lifetime, but I had never gone out of my way to find them again. The reason is simple: I wouldn't want to tarnish any memories I have of my aunt by buying one. I'm very happy with having had one when I did.

Imagine it, though. A little badge with a string that would entertain me for quite some time. I am currently sat here laughing at my young innocence.

The video is from a channel on YouTube I thoroughly enjoy. It's called Grand Illusions and is presented by a man named Tim. He has collected some fascinating gadgets and has shared this collection on his videos for many years. I recommend checking him out!

Doing A Kriss Kross 22

I couldn't believe it. 

I was quite bored a couple of days ago, so thought to myself 'it has been quite some time since I've done a kiss kross puzzle'. I pulled out a book I've had stored away and had a go.

The book I opened was Puzzler Kriss Kross 7. I don't recall how long I've had it, but it was beside the NFL sticker album I wrote about a week ago. I might have bought it around the same time, which means it has been here since at least last May (or thereabouts).

Anyway, I timed myself for the first kiss kross in, as I've stated, 'quite some time'. 

It took me ten minutes and twelve seconds to complete. I don't even know if that's good or bad. That's how long out of the kriss kross game I've been.

I opened this post exclaiming 'I couldn't believe it''. I was referring to the last time I had published a kriss kross themed post. The previous one, Doing a Kriss Kross 21, went live on February 27 2022. 

Four years. Quite some time indeed.

Find Puzzler Kriss Kross Titles on Amazon UK

Not A Usual February 13th Post

Today marks the twenty-third anniversary of my uncle's passing.

I always dedicate February 13th posts to him, but - as I sit here about to write whatever will come to me over the next few lines - I cannot shake off the significance of this being different from every other tribute post.

We lost my aunt last October, so I am thinking about both of them today. 

The funny thing about my tributes to my uncle is almost all of those memories had my aunt there as well. So it seems fitting to think about both of them today. Together again.

Airheads Soda? Airheads Soda!

I watched a handful of YouTube videos last night. While watching one of them, I happened to see something in the background which made me think 'I WANT THAT!' to myself.

The item of note was a can of soda (I'll refer it to that, instead of pop, for a reason you'll soon find out). It had the Airheads branding and had a predominant blue colour.

Which means a couple of things.

Blue raspberry pop  soda.

Airheads is a brand of sweets I hadn't heard of until a few years ago. I love their blue raspberry flavoured candy and chewing gum, so - as soon as I saw they're now in the carbonated beverage business - I had to do a look online.

The good news - the website I usually buy US products from has been selling the drinks. The bad - they're currently out of stock.

It looks like they launched  in the USA back in September. Along with blue raspberry are strawberry, orange and watermelon flavours.

I'd like to try all but watermelon. Blue raspberry is top of the list, however. Also - why no grape?!

Becoming intrigued after seeing these products takes me back to either 1989 or 1990 when Hubba Bubba brought out a Hubba Bubba Soda to these shores.

I looked high and low for those drinks. I managed to find some after weeks of trying. I enjoyed them, but the product didn't last long.  Even though I, just like this very moment, find myself clamouring to try Hubba Bubba Soda once again, I'm happy to have been able to have found them before they were discontinued during my childhood.

I must do the same with Airheads Soda just in case they have a similar fate.

Following The Guthrie Story

I have been gripped by the news coverage, coming out of the USA, surrounding the alleged kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie.

Guthrie is the mother of a presenter from NBC News - Suzanne Guthrie.

The mother was apparently kidnapped from her Tucson, Arizona home in the early hours of Sunday February 1st. Blood was found on her porch area and her doorbell camera had been smashed.

Ransom mail - asking for up to $6,000,000 in Bitcoin - has been sent to the family via news agencies. At least one of the requests was found to be a scam, however.

Yesterday's development saw the FBI release footage of a masked man on Nancy Guthrie's property. The images were caught using the video doorbell that was initially reported to have not been sending data to the Cloud because the owner did not subscribe to any subscription plans for the device.

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for Nancy's return.

I fell asleep last night after seeing SWAT and bomb vehicles leaving their posts and hearing that somebody had been detained in relation to the alleged kidnapping. The first thing I did when I woke up was check to see if the person was named. Well, he was named.. but only because he had been released.

So many twists and turns to this one. 

I have seen certain social media accounts sharing similar, and some even contrasting, theories about this case. Some of those are intriguing and will make for this story to become even crazier. IF true, of course.

I don't want to be a pessimist, but Nancy Guthrie is 84 and needs daily medication. She has been gone for, is it eleven days now? It has been a race against time from the off.