blighty after his now back in blighty after his three week adventure down under . three week adventure down under. the reform party chairman is riding of public riding a wave of public attention. how will he use it .7 attention. how will he use it.7 sir keir starmer can also enjoy a smile at the end of the year. this time last year, we did not foresee the implosion of the scottish nationalists, which should labour enormous should give labour an enormous boost election . starmer boost at the election. starmer commands strong lead over commands a strong lead over rishi sunak and the conservatives as did his overseas adventure to the frozen plains of estonia on the russian border. help him to look like a prime minister starmer has indicated a sympathy for changing the law to help with what's called assisted dying. he backed legal reform the last time that this came to a vote in the house of commons in 2015. i'll be joined by doctor mark pickering, chief executive of the christian medical fellowship, to discuss that. and last week i shared with you the first instalment of my interview with the icon of the silver screen, leslie caron. i was delighted by the outpouring of adulation from viewers that it triggered. we have two more

instalments for you today , in instalments for you today, in which leslie caron reminisces on her hollywood career about dancing with fred astaire and about her marriages. all of that to come . but first, your to come. but first, your headunes to come. but first, your headlines with polly middlehurst i >> michael, thank you and good morning to you. well, flying debns morning to you. well, flying debris and power cuts could disrupt last minute getaway plans today , with weather plans today, with weather forecasters warning of strong winds across the uk . millions winds across the uk. millions are set to be on the roads as well today, with the aa saying drivers can expect lengthy traffic jams as people travel to be with their families. the met office says gusts of wind of up to 70 miles an hour will hit parts of scotland and across northern areas of england. rail services , too, are interrupted services, too, are interrupted today as major london stations euston , king's cross and euston, king's cross and paddington are all closed for essential engineering works .

essential engineering works. well the prime minister has urged people to focus on the promise of a brighter future this christmas eve as he addresses the nation. rishi sunak says christmas is a time of hope, but it is also important to remember those who are facing difficulties as he thanked the nhs , police and the thanked the nhs, police and the armed forces for sacrificing their festivities in the service of others. but that comes after the latest round of strikes by junior doctors in england. yes, ended yesterday with the longest walkout in nhs history, due to begin on the 3rd of january. christmas is a time of peace, joy, christmas is a time of peace, joy, compassion, a time of hope and a promise of a better world. >> and today, as we look ahead , >> and today, as we look ahead, let's keep that promise of a brighter future burning into the new year . wherever you brighter future burning into the new year. wherever you are and whatever you are doing for the festivities , i wish you all festivities, i wish you all a very merry christmas and a happy new year i new year! >> rishi sunak, well, in his

annual christmas message, the labour leader sir keir starmer said the story of jesus christ is a reminder that in dark times, love and hope are always worth advocating for. sir keir starmer said it is a time to rejoice in jesus birth and rekindle bonds as families and friends share joy. he also thanked the nhs royal mail workers and the military for their work over the festive period, praising the generosity of churches and charities as communities across britain gather together for a period of faith and festivities . faith and festivities. >> i want to wish you all a very merry christmas throughout the christmas period, we see the bonds of kinship rekindled as as families and friends share in the joy, the hope and the optimism that christmas provides i >> -- >> keir starmer, now the home secretary, has reiterated that the government is working as quickly as possible to stop small boat crossings . speaking

small boat crossings. speaking on a visit to bedfordshire police station, james cleverly said the uk has reduced the number of illegal migrants making their way to britain by a third at a time when other european countries are seeing increasing numbers. i'm not going to aim for an arbitrary point in time. >> we're working on this as quickly as possible. i visited the team of border force officials at luton airport earlier, um, who are returning people to their countries of origins. the people who should not be here, the people who have come here illegally. we are sending them home. we intend to make sure we get the rwanda legislation through as quickly as possible , make sure we have as possible, make sure we have that deterrent and continue working with the international partners with whom we have fantastic relationships. >> well , james >> james cleverly, well, james cleverly has apologised after joking about putting a rape drug in his wife's drinks just hours after announcing plans to crack down on drink spiking . james down on drink spiking. james cleverly was joking, apparently ,

cleverly was joking, apparently, that he puts a little bit of rohypnolin that he puts a little bit of rohypnol in his wife's drink every night so she doesn't realise there are better men out there. said to there. the comments were said to have made at a downing have been made at a downing street christmas which street christmas party, which are the record, but are normally off the record, but the sunday mirror to the sunday mirror chose to report them . let's get down to report them. let's get down to the top news story of the day. father christmas, of course, delivering presents to children around the world that's due to begin very soon. we understand we've been tracking him here at gb news. we will, of course, bnng gb news. we will, of course, bring live updates bring you live updates throughout day as he makes throughout the day as he makes his across the globe. his progress across the globe. we see he actually we can see he is actually starting prepare some starting to prepare some presents in his workshop, everything neatly and everything wrapped up neatly and we'll be setting off from his centre in the north pole very soon. these pictures coming to us from the north american aerospace defence command. of course, norad . and as i say, course, norad. and as i say, we'll be tracking santa throughout the day . this is gb throughout the day. this is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. this is britain's

news channel . news channel. thank you very much. >> polly middlehurst as christmas is upon us, which of the politicians vying to steer the politicians vying to steer the course of this country will be toasting the season with a smile on his or her face, sir keir starmer will be celebrating labour's sizeable lead over the conservatives, which he's held for a year. he's delivered a christmas message thanking pubuc christmas message thanking public sector workers as though he were already in number 10. one character who won't be in downing street any time soon, and it was not even held a seat in the house of commons. none the less, commanded attention throughout much of 2023. nigel farage captured the headlines when revealed bank when he revealed that his bank account closed, account was being closed, apparently of his apparently on the grounds of his political de—banking political views. the de—banking scandal lured natwest chief executive dame alison rose into

losing her job, and over £2 losing herjob, and over £2 million he captured public attention again in the australian jungle on i'm a celebrity get me out of here, where he reached the final and finished third. so the first question to my panel is what's the secret of nigel's success? i have with me, the freelance political commentator and playwright emma burnell , the playwright emma burnell, the editor alice demby, editor of capex, alice demby, and gb news own nigel nelson. welcome to you all and thank you very much for coming in on christmas eve. nigel, you have been with us since march on gb news. you've probably didn't expect in your curriculum vitae to be a colleague of nigel farage, but you have been for these last few months. um am i right in thinking that nigel farage has something rather special that other politicians might like a bit of a certain charisma , a certain way of charisma, a certain way of getting through to people ? getting through to people? >> yeah, i think the modern word is it? yeah. yes. riz is riz, isn't it? yeah. yes. riz and yes , he certainly he and yes, he certainly he certainly does have that. i mean, i've known nigel for about 12 it preceded my time 12 years, so it preceded my time here at gb news. um, and he's

always been a fantastically charismatic politician. i covered his, um, uh, his election down in thanet, south back in 2015. and i left there thinking that he was a shoo in for him, that everywhere you went, he was mobbed . people. went, he was mobbed. people. everyone wanted to shake his hand. everyone wanted to shake his hand . and he then came second. hand. and he then came second. and i think that that , um, what and i think that that, um, what happened there is that it was his celebrity status . everyone his celebrity status. everyone wanted to meet him. everyone wanted to meet him. everyone wanted talk him, to say wanted to talk to him, to say that they'd been with nigel farage. they weren't prepared to vote for him. and having tried seven times for to become an mp, i think he must be thinking, i wonder if i can make it on an eighth time, but nigel being nigel, he's keeping us guessing about what his ambitions are. will tory party will he rejoin the tory party does he any ambitions to be does he have any ambitions to be leader of the tories? it would be a long way off, but it's not impossible the state of impossible with the state of the tory party moment. um

tory party at the moment. um emma, i mean, for the moment he's with reform and it must be a big question for him what he what he does next. >> um, i mean, he said to me in private conversation, what is what is the point of helping labour to get a bigger majority, which is, you know, more or less what that party is, is going to do because it's announced do because it's been announced by richard tice that there candidates are going to stand against they're against conservatives. they're going to damage conservative candidates is candidates. um, that party is going to make a bigger labour majority more likely. what on earth is nigel farage going to do with his celebrity? well it's really interesting, isn't it? >> i mean, nigel farage, when you use the word charisma tactic, i think that's often meant to be a positive, but actually charisma is just the sociologist max weber once said, charisma is extraordinariness. and i think what nigel farage really does very well is embody the everyman man. >> but in an extraordinary way. and that is the secret to his charisma and how he manages to

lead now. it would be extraordinary to be a shareholder because reform is a is not a party. essentially, it's a company of which he owns a significant portion of the shares and then go off and run another party. if he were to go and join the conservative party so i think that's got to be part of the consideration. but it is certainly true that without nigel farage and his charisma, whether you like him or not, i'm on the left. he's his politics are anathema to mine , but i am are anathema to mine, but i am perfectly willing to accept that he's a charismatic figure . um, he's a charismatic figure. um, but i think it's worth saying that whether you like those politics or not, they are not in doing as well under the uncharismatic richard tice as they are under. they were under they are under. they were under the charismatic nigel farage. >> hmm. and alice, i wonder whether he hasn't shown up the mainstream politician . both both mainstream politician. both both rishi and keir. i mean, he really does seem to have something which those two don't have. and i don't quite know why

it is that people who lead the main parties at the moment don't manage to cut through better towards um as you towards the public. um as you say, how they can't incorporate the everyman in an extraordinary way. what stands in the way of our big party leaders from being a bit more like nigel? well, frankly , it's easier if you're frankly, it's easier if you're on the outside, isn't it? >> it's always easier to be the kind of agitator who's not in the mainstream. and i think that's part of nigel farage, his talent. think , you know, he is talent. i think, you know, he is charismatic, but he's divisive as well. um, and i do think that if he does choose to return to reform, powerful reform, there's a very powerful chance goes from chance that it goes from wherever at moment. 9% wherever it is at the moment. 9% in the polls to 13% in the polls obliterates the conservative party. someone party. and if you're someone who cares conservative cares about conservative ideas, i don't really why that's a i don't really see why that's a strategy you would pursue. >> no. although of course, >> uh, no. although of course, there a theory that the there is a theory that the conservative party needs to be given good hiding so given a jolly good hiding so that will sufficiently reform. >> i think that's a sort of sod you all prospectus, isn't it? it's not very conservative. >> i've i don't know , parties. >> i've i don't know, parties. parties go through periods

reform. >> there is difference between >> there is a difference between being and being being right wing and being conservative, though certainly small c conservative. now and i think that is the think that that is where the struggle, certainly within the soul the broader right and soul of the broader right and the conservative party is happening. and i think it may well be that nigel farage, who is someone who is right wing rather than small c conservative, may well want to give that lesson to the conservatives. you are going to be destroyed by being too small. c conservative and not being more modern, right? >> but that's the battle that's going on at the moment, isn't it? i mean, it should be going on in opposition, but for on in opposition, but it's for the and of the the heart and soul of the conservative party, of course, andifs conservative party, of course, and it's a battle between the right and the moderates, as we'll the election, we'll see after the election, depending many them depending how many of them come back, side up back, which side ends up winning, it's even a winning, i think it's even a battle the and soul of politics. >> in as much as in the same way i felt before the brexit vote. there a lot of people out there are a lot of people out there. labour conservative and all who simply there. labour conservative and all why who simply there. labour conservative and all why is who simply there. labour conservative and all why is it who simply there. labour conservative and all why is it that who simply there. labour conservative and all why is it that theo simply say, why is it that the political establishment doesn't want the issue,

want to talk about the issue, that we want to talk about? and i think it's been so significant recently that been, recently that it's been, you know, been revealed that know, it's been revealed that rishi sunak do more about rishi sunak could do more about immigration deciding immigration but is deciding for various not to. we had various reasons not to. we had another u—turn on immigration this he's changed the this week. he's changed the threshold at which people are going prevented from going to be prevented from bringing their spouses, bringing in their spouses, a threshold i just threshold of income. and i just wonder whether broader than wonder whether it's broader than the party a lot of the conservative party a lot of people out there saying, why is the conservative party a lot of pethat out there saying, why is the conservative party a lot of pethat politicianssaying, why is the conservative party a lot of pethat politicians will|g, why is the conservative party a lot of pethat politicians will not/hy is it that politicians will not talk about and address the issue that we're concerned about, which is migration, both legal and illegal? alice. yeah absolutely. >> and i think this is where reform, perhaps has an opportunity, because at the moment really know what moment we don't really know what they their they stand for, what their policies might be. but i think if going very on if going very hard on immigration, might, immigration, that might, may, may a way that they can may be a way that they can distinguish themselves from the conservatives. distinguish themselves from the consesunakes. distinguish themselves from the consesunak has made a few rishi sunak has made a few strategic errors when it comes to sticking with the to migration, sticking with the rwanda which is rwanda policy, which is unworkable not unworkable and cruel and not even gift to make even within his own gift to make it because it's for the it work because it's for the courts to decide. and i think it was strategic error to appoint was a strategic error to appoint suella in the first

suella braverman in the first place. i don't think had to. place. i don't think he had to. i he thought that she had i think he thought that she had a following on hard a more following on the hard right party she did. right of the party than she did. and now and now we have the legal migration figures, which is that the is a system that the conservatives themselves is a system that the conservatafter:hemselves is a system that the conservat after brexit, .ves is a system that the conservatafterbrexit,.ves is designed after brexit, which is now allowing almost a million now allowing in almost a million people allowing people a year. so it's allowing him million. him more than a million. >> net figure is less than >> the net figure is less than a million, but the growth figure is than million. yeah. is more than a million. yeah. >> sort of 750. so it's >> so net sort of 750. so it's you know over two years. that's a city the size of birmingham. um, it's unsustainable at the level at moment. level it is at the moment. >> alice, mind if i move >> alice, do you mind if i move on? you that you're on on? emma, you say that you're on the left. let's talk about the left. um, i mean, it seems to me that keir starmer has had a pretty, pretty good year, despite fact obviously despite the fact that obviously the incursion israel the hamas incursion into israel and the war in gaza has been extremely inconven to extremely inconven for him, to put mildly. he put it mildly. and yet he has. he's done right, hasn't he? he's done all right, hasn't he? >> he's had a very good year. yes, obviously international events. events, dear boy, as they as someone once said, uh , they as someone once said, uh, have made things in the labour party harder , but actually the

party harder, but actually the change is that he made to the labour party during the three years and the run up to that. i mean, obviously he didn't know that that was what was going to come, but something was always going to come. his grip on going to come. but his grip on the has been such that the party has been such that while that was a moment of difficulty and danger, he actually got through it relative easily. um, his performance at conference just after the hamas, the dreadful, um, hamas atrocity of october the 7th, um, was was exactly the right tone to hit and not a tone that you might have seen from previous leadership, and that he's largely stuck to that position, cleaved himself mainly to where joe biden's been. so sort of followed biden's journey from, uh, you know , full throated uh, you know, full throated support of israel to we do need to make sure that we are having humanitarian ceasefires or, you know, a way for humanitarian aid to get into gaza and trying to balance that has been you know, exemplary, i think let me bring nigel in and ask whether you

were impressed by the sight of sir keir starmer in fatigues amongst , uh, sir keir starmer in fatigues amongst, uh, amongst military folk. >> but talking, talking about world politics, by the way, in his christmas message, he doesn't talk about world politics. he's on domestic issues only. but, um, well, let's take the christmas message as well. do you think he's looking prime ministerial, whether estonia whether he's in estonia or whether he's in estonia or whether he's in estonia or whether he's congratulating the pubuc whether he's congratulating the public sector workers of this country? >> that was the idea about wearing wearing an army jacket . wearing wearing an army jacket. certainly. and you could see that the plan is to stick that on election posters and leaflets . it's i think it backfired a bit. um, had i been advised keir starmer, i'd have said , uh, starmer, i'd have said, uh, perhaps you ought to not wear military uniform. probably better to go into civilian civilian rugged winterwear or something like that. in the same way i'd have advised ed miliband not to eat bacon sandwiches . not to eat bacon sandwiches. >> i might say that it was my policy when, with the military, to wear what you say rugged winter wear, but civilian rugged winter. >> think probably >> i think that's probably right. i say, i can see

right. yeah as i say, i can see why he there has been a why he did it. there has been a bit of a backlash. it's not a huge deal. but yes, you're right, everything he's been doing is about being prime ministerial. doesn't have to ministerial. he doesn't have to do to win election do very much to win the election anyway. and said, mean, anyway. and as i said, i mean, it's like whole thing it's things like the whole thing over the ceasefire in over the, the ceasefire in israel, there was an example of him being prime ministerial over what party actually wanted. what is party actually wanted. he was saying no , this is an he was saying no, this is an international emergency . i back international emergency. i back the stand of the british government this is how i will behave i'm minister. government this is how i will beianneliese i'm minister. government this is how i will beianneliese do minister. government this is how i will beianneliese do you minister. government this is how i will beianneliese do you have nister. >> anneliese do you have something contradictory to say to of that? we're all rather to all of that? we're all rather agreeing here that starmer has had a good year and he's, you know, bad a job at know, doing not too bad a job at prime ministerial. or is there anything you want to say against that point? >> not particularly. i'd say. i do he appeared prime do think he appeared prime ministerial. i think his christmas message actually christmas message was actually better sunak's. and better than rishi sunak's. and i think just you know, think it just shows, you know, he's embracing he's they're sort of embracing faith the family and faith flag and the family and his military fatigues how far the party's you cannot the party's come. you cannot imagine um in his imagine jeremy corbyn um in his army like, know, army uniform or like, you know, shell suit on his allotment. so

yeah, think has had good shell suit on his allotment. so yeaiby think has had good shell suit on his allotment. so yeaiby the|k has had good shell suit on his allotment. so yeaiby the way, has had good shell suit on his allotment. so yeaiby the way, both1ad good shell suit on his allotment. so yeaiby the way, both the good shell suit on his allotment. so yeaiby the way, both the prime! and by the way, both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition stressing the christian message, which which struck in both struck me very much in both cases i think you're cases and, nigel, i think you're itching about itching to say something about james cleverly. itching to say something about janwhat,verly. earth what >> what, what on earth what accident has he had at number 10? this is extraordinary. >> yeah, i think it is. that again, partly, i think, again, this is partly, i think, again, this is partly, i think, a part of the disintegration of the conservative party and james cleverly kind of symbolises it to turn around and make a joke about a date rape drug like rohypnolin about a date rape drug like rohypnol in front of female journalists . it was incredibly journalists. it was incredibly stupid. now i know he's apologised for it, but to actually do that on the day he brought in a crackdown on drink spiked is just extraordinary . spiked is just extraordinary. >> i suppose one could say that it was on his mind in some very, very strange way. i mean , i very strange way. i mean, i can't make sense of it at all, can't make sense of it at all, can you, emma? >> no. and this is the second time his mouth's got him in trouble since becoming home secretary, he been secretary, and he hasn't been home secretary. that long. you

know, you just wonder. yeah. the last home secretary , fairly last home secretary, fairly infamously, her mouth got in a lot of trouble. her mouth and her pen. um, and you just think sometimes. >> sometimes that was intentional. and this one clearly was not. >> no. absolutely >> no. absolutely >> whereas, you know, this guy seems be wandering into seems to be wandering into trouble fairly regular trouble on a fairly regular bafis. basis. >> alice, i think this is a storm in a rohypnol spiked teacup. i think we were talking about, you know, the charm and the charisma of nigel farage. and james cleverly is a man with a sense humour, and he was a sense of humour, and he was joking in private, and he joking in private, um, and he should be a stand up comedian, really, rather than a politician i >> -- >> but, alice, may you have a very christmas because very glittery christmas because you're wearing such a lovely outfit. they're happy christmas to both and may i say, happy to you both and may i say, happy christmas to all our politicians out because they are, out there, because they are, after public and after all, public servants and i. feel for them. you i. i feel for them. thank you for moment . i. i feel for them. thank you for moment. emma burnell for the moment. emma burnell alice demby and nigel nelson. after the break, we'll mention keir starmer again because he's indicated possible support for a

change in the law on so—called assisted dying. i was speaking to the chief executive of the christian medical fellowship .

isabel monday to thursdays from six till 930. >> welcome back. having just returned from estonia, sir keir starmer was asked by a journalist to respond to

comments by dame esther rantzen, who says she will consider popping who says she will consider popping off to switzerland if her treatment for lung cancer doesn't go as intended . the doesn't go as intended. the labour leader seemed sympathetic to a change in british law to discuss with me, whether that's a good thing. i'm joined by doctor mark pickering, who's the chief executive of the christian medical fellowship , and the care medical fellowship, and the care not killing alliance. welcome to you, mark. thank you very much for joining me on christmas eve. forjoining me on christmas eve. first of all, do you understand what change is it that people are talking about ? about? are talking about? about? >> it depends who you ask, michael. and so many people want to have lots of different changes , and there is a lot of changes, and there is a lot of pubuc changes, and there is a lot of public confusion about that. and we're talking about whether there should be a change to the 1961 suicide act that that still criminalises assisting or encouraging a suicide . we hear encouraging a suicide. we hear lots of talk about, you know, loving relatives being potentially sent to prison for 14 years. that never happens. what we're talking about is a

law that actually criminalise causes bad stuff like encouraging people online to commit suicide . it's not about commit suicide. it's not about the loving relatives like esther rantzen's family , who worry rantzen's family, who worry about what would happen if their company turned to switzerland. i think there is a lot of scaremongering around what would happen to family members . scaremongering around what would happen to family members. um i must say to you that i very much feel that if i were were in a position where i thought my life was going to be short ish and miserable and full of suffering , miserable and full of suffering, i might well want to take advantage of making the decision for myself about the timing of my death. >> but you would. you would have an issue with with that, would you, mark? i think that the trouble there, michael, is that so of this is about fear of so much of this is about fear of what might happen. so much of this is about fear of what miwhenappen. so much of this is about fear of what miwhen ween. so much of this is about fear of what miwhen we hear people >> and when we hear people campaigning for the change in the law, usually about the law, usually it's about a very bad story of something that happened to go happened and didn't need to go badly something that might badly or something that might happen badly. if we happen and might go badly. if we actually care actually hear palliative care doctors what doctors talking about what usually , most deaths usually happens, as most deaths can be made comfortable and the

terrible pain, the agony that we hear talked about in campaigns is very rarely there. so we do need to have a clear look at what actually is the case, what's a real scandal is that thousands of people die in this country every year without access to the excellent palliative care that is available . while so many of available. while so many of these bad stories needn't happen, and i think that's certainly the thing we should be focusing on in terms of changing the law, i totally understand that people want to have that choice , that control about what choice, that control about what happens if things are going wrong. the trouble is, the unintended consequences like we've in most jurisdictions we've seen in most jurisdictions that have changed the law, things tend to go much further and much faster than people anticipate. and we need to think about, not about where a law change will begin, where it change will begin, but where it will up several years change will begin, but where it will so up several years change will begin, but where it will so like several years change will begin, but where it will so like sesee l years change will begin, but where it will so like sesee in'ears change will begin, but where it will so like sesee in canada time. so like we see in canada right now , it's not just pain right now, it's not just pain that people are worried about. >> i think it's the it's the total loss of control over your life. it's the total loss of

dignity. it's being someone that you don't recognise. it's being miserable all the time . it's miserable all the time. it's that wish that you just want it to come to an end. do you understand all of that? >> absolutely. and i've worked as a palliative care doctor. i look after people who are incarcerated and, um, prisoners or mental health patients, and i understand that under that loss of control, the difficulty that that brings. um, but i think we need to see the other side of that. and in places where the law changes , we will find, like law changes, we will find, like in oregon, where more than half of the people who take the route of the people who take the route of assisted dying say that they do that at least partly because they burden their they feel a burden on their family and we've got to family and carers. we've got to be so careful that the right to die for people like esther rantzen , with lots of money and rantzen, with lots of money and autonomy, doesn't become the duty die for the frail, duty to die for the frail, elderly people who are dependent on exhausted family. on their exhausted family. >> um, is that what you meant by unintended consequences? a moment ago? tell me about jurisdiction where this has

changed, and where you say there have been unfortunate but unintended consequences ? unintended consequences? >> yes. i think canada is an excellent example because they only brought in, uh, medical assistance in dying maid, as they call it, in 2016. and that was for effectively for terminal illness. similar to what we would propose in the or people would propose in the or people would propose in the or people would propose in the uk within just a few years. there was a court case when two disabled people said, well, that's not fair. we want to have it to. and so the law was changed so that now any chronic illness, any disability can qualify you physical disability. and now next year they're proposing to change the law so that people with purely a mental illness can access that. and most of us in the uk think, oh that's, that's going a bit far. but um, we don't hear campaigns generally calling for that. and yet that's the way things go when you say, well, here's one group that should have it, then the next group well, what about group say, well, what about us? or next group? what or the next group? say, what about us? it's very hard to stop that incremental extension.

>> well, i mean, you describe those unintended those as unintended consequences, way you consequences, but the way you describe it's a series of describe it, it's a series of legislative acts by the people who make laws in canada. and i don't see that britain need to don't see that britain need to do that. i mean, each time it is elected, politicians deciding the way in which the law should change. i mean, if we stick with what might be proposed for britain, which is a change in the law regarding terminal illness, uh, and assuming that parliamentarians know what they're talking about and stick there are your objections the same i think they are there are still significant objections. >> so take, uh, dentist for ransom. she has has stage four cancen ransom. she has has stage four cancer. it's likely to be terminal. and yet she said publicly that she didn't think that she would make her birthday last june . then she didn't think last june. then she didn't think she'd make this christmas. she's still going strong now on a on a treatment that wasn't available before. so this idea of prognosis is of saying, well, you've only got six months or

less to live. that's incredibly difficult. many of the people that we've about that we've heard about campaigning for assisted dying change when they were terminally ill themselves lasted a lot longer than thought. and so longer than they thought. and so even that is difficult. >> but mark, your difficult thing is people like paul lamb. >> so paul lamb was a campaigner who was in disability, in pain. he was paralysed largely from the neck down, for about 30 years. and he called for law change because he wanted to have that right. and yet dignity and dying, the main campaign organisation consistently dying, the main campaign organiseto»n consistently dying, the main campaign organiseto supportistently dying, the main campaign organiseto support him.:ly dying, the main campaign organiseto support him. but they refused to support him. but they talk about compassion. they didn't have compassion for him. they talk about autonomy . they they talk about autonomy. they didn't respect his autonomy . didn't respect his autonomy. they wanted to have that very the very tight, six month mentally competent , terminally mentally competent, terminally ill, which is the way to get it passed. parliamentarians right now, just like we saw in new zealand, the parties that got that through on a very tight, focussed campaign immediately dropped that after the law was changed and said, yeah, let's go

a bit further now and i think we'll see many people saying, well, this is just a first step. there many people who suffer there are many people who suffer at end of life and you at the end of life and you cannot restrict it to this cannot just restrict it to this very small group of people with terminal illness who , you know, terminal illness who, you know, whilst they're suffering, may be uncomfortable. it is time limited. there are many people who many, who will suffer for many, many years . years. >> um, it may seem strange at christmas when we're celebrating a birth to be talking about death, but i think death is perhaps not talked about enough. ithank perhaps not talked about enough. i thank you very much indeed, doctor mark pickering . after the doctor mark pickering. after the break, i'll have the second instalment of my interview with the legendary actress and dancer leslie caron, who shared with me the inside scoop on her career in hollywood. stay

weeknights from six. >> welcome back. last week . >> welcome back. last week. i shared with you the first instalment of my interview with a darling of the screen during hollywood's golden age, leslie caron. which she described caron. in which she described growing the growing up in france during the second and becoming a second world war and becoming a ballet . in part two of ballet dancer. in part two of the leslie tells us the interview, leslie tells us how from the parisian how she went from the parisian stage to silver screen in stage to the silver screen in california the process california and in the process she became an icon of french elegance . i was speaking to her elegance. i was speaking to her in . london last what age were in. london last what age were you when you first came to the attention of gene kelly? by then

i was 17. >> he saw a proper ballet the next year, and my leading man was jean babilee , and gene kelly was jean babilee, and gene kelly was jean babilee, and gene kelly was in the auditorium that night . opening night. tried to come backstage to meet me , and i'd backstage to meet me, and i'd gone home like a good little girl . i'd gone home like a good little girl. i'd taken off my gone home like a good little girl . i'd taken off my toe shoes girl. i'd taken off my toe shoes and gone walking home. i lived not very far away from the theatre des champs—elysees , theatre des champs—elysees, which is beautiful. somebody said gene kelly was looking for you to say hello to and congratulate you . oh, who anyway congratulate you. oh, who anyway 7 congratulate you. oh, who anyway ? a few days before. after . ? a few days before. after. i got a phone call . gene kelly got a phone call. gene kelly wants to meet you and do a little . test with you. well as i

little. test with you. well as i was quite polite , i said, oh, was quite polite, i said, oh, okay. so i met him and he gave me a few steps. i thought, okay. so i met him and he gave me a few steps. i thought , well, me a few steps. i thought, well, that's infantile. you know, there were no fortes and none of this difficult stuff. it was all quite charming . i did it and quite charming. i did it and forgot all about it . and i said forgot all about it. and i said to my mother , oh, it was a bore. to my mother, oh, it was a bore. and she said, well, that's okay. anyway, we received a phone call from mgm saying she is coming to hollywood in three days. you yeah . amazing. yeah yeah. amazing. yeah >> did you fly to hollywood? yeah >> and they said , well, mother >> and they said, well, mother has to come with you. and mother was quite bored at the idea

going to hollywood . oh but she going to hollywood. oh but she came and we had to change planes. we stopped in london and then newfoundland and then new york, every time changing planes something or , you know, it was something or, you know, it was a longest journey . journey in the longest journey. journey in the world. 1950. and finally, hollywood . we were terribly gaze hollywood. we were terribly gaze dazed by then. they put us up. my dazed by then. they put us up. my mother and myself in the beverly hills hotel while my mother looked at the bill. it was something . like $75 a night. was something. like $75 a night. the next morning she woke me up at six and she said , honey, at six and she said, honey, we're leaving. this is to

expensive you. we had something like $250 between the two of us for the week. so so we left. she took a hailed a taxi and we arrived in culver city , which is arrived in culver city, which is nothing but crew guys and their family very nice gardeners . family very nice gardeners. also, lots of mexicans . and it also, lots of mexicans. and it was by the workers entrance to mgm. she said that to be just fine. don't have to pay for a taxi . taxi. >> this resulted in you getting a part in an american in paris. is that right ? is that right? >> it didn't result. it resulted in starting to work on the film immediately . oh, right. yeah, immediately. oh, right. yeah, i was hired from paris.

>> and where did you film the film? in hollywood or in paris or both? >> entirely in hollywood. and entirely on the back lot and lot three, which has the streets of new york, streets of paris , new york, streets of paris, streets of, you know , all those streets of, you know, all those phoney streets , but quite phoney streets, but quite charming in the in musicals. >> how did you to take the dancing that you were asked to do in hollywood? very different from what you were used to. >> it just was magnificent. it it was one awfully exciting thing with the music. i i adored the gershwin. i thought gershwin was really a grand composer. i thought he was one of the top composers. i rated him like mozart , like bach, and like any mozart, like bach, and like any great modern composer, we

started working immediately on the piano . and gene kelly was , the piano. and gene kelly was, uh , doing choreography with his uh, doing choreography with his partner, choreographer. her name was carol haney , and she was was carol haney, and she was a jack cole dancer, top dancer . jack cole dancer, top dancer. and she taught me how to dance with my straight, my feet straight , with my straight, my feet straight, and not like that . and straight, and not like that. and she taught me everything . and she taught me everything. and when i do the little introduction number with the chair, she was so sexy when she did that, she brought the chair. oh you know that the censorship came on the set. oh you know that the censorship came on the set . she said, oh you know that the censorship came on the set. she said, this is too sexy. you've got to tame

it down. i was doing what carole taught me . your mother had taught you to look out for fred astaire style. >> what did you make of the style of the men you dance with fred astaire, gene kelly? >> well, at first i knew gene and the kind of that kind of dancing which i'd never seen. we didn't have musicals during the war. we didn't see jazz dancing . war. we didn't see jazz dancing. we didn't see any of that . so we didn't see any of that. so that was totally new. and i thought, that's thrilling. bent knees.

thought, that's thrilling. bent knees . you know , lots of knees. you know, lots of shoulders , lots of charm . some shoulders, lots of charm. some years later, fred asked me to be his partner in daddy long legs . his partner in daddy long legs. oh my god . and i thought this is oh my god. and i thought this is it. this is it. it's fabulous. and i couldn't stop watching him. and the thrill of dancing with him was something that cannot be described . his sense cannot be described. his sense of rhythm, which is indicated by a shoulder , by a hand, by, you a shoulder, by a hand, by, you know, by a movement of the eyes, something like that. his sense of rhythm was remarkable. he had just lost his wife just before the film started , and we closed the film started, and we closed down the rehearsals and, uh, we, we thought maybe the film is

dismissed because he cannot take over control . you know , after over control. you know, after two weeks, he said , i want to two weeks, he said, i want to come back and work. so we started rehearsing , and when we started rehearsing, and when we did the first number, i can see the glint in his eye. i can see he really enjoyed it because fred was somebody who loved to fool around . his dancing had a fool around. his dancing had a lot of humour, a lot of making fun of himself . and it just was fun of himself. and it just was so much fun dancing with him and watching his tempo . suffered . watching his tempo. suffered. dodi come down.

>> and what would he say about you? he chose you as his partner 7 you? he chose you as his partner ? yes. what was it? what was it about your dancing that he liked ? >> 7. >>i 7- >> i was on ? >> i was on tempo , is what he >> i was on tempo, is what he said. he said, well, ginger , you said. he said, well, ginger, you know, she's an adorable girl and i love her and she's great, but. >> oh, she wobbled . >> oh, she wobbled. >> oh, she wobbled. >> and i must say, when i see a film of them with them both , i film of them with them both, i watched the moment when she's going to wobble and sometimes she does, but he he said, i used to have to cut the film really fast because she'd still be me. you know, i mean, fred was, oh, and that was it. >> but you, leslie, you did not wobble . wobble. >> no, i didn't wobble. i had lots of tutoring , and i knew lots of tutoring, and i knew that you don't wobble after the

turns and so on. pit. yes. that's it . that's it. >> incidentally, did you know the rest of fred astaire's family? did you know his sister adele? did you know his mother? >> i knew his mother. i met his mother . i >> i knew his mother. i met his mother. i didn't know her then , mother. i didn't know her then, but i met her years later. i came to the hollywood for an academy award or something . and academy award or something. and she said something exquisite . she said something exquisite. oh, she said oh, you're the little girl who danced with my friend . and i thought, bless you friend. and i thought, bless you . what was the origin of gigi ? . what was the origin of gigi? well, that came from me , that is well, that came from me, that is to say that i suggested it to the producer. the producer, arthur freed , is the one who had arthur freed, is the one who had brought me to hollywood for an american in paris. he was the

great, great producer of the best musicals in hollywood. he came on the set. i was doing lily playing a little orphan in drab clothes , drab hairdo , no drab clothes, drab hairdo, no makeup . that was my idea of makeup. that was my idea of doing cinema verite . and, uh , he doing cinema verite. and, uh, he said, look at what they're doing to you. i mean, i brought you to hollywood . i made a big star out hollywood. i made a big star out of you with a greatest dancer in hollywood . look at what they're hollywood. look at what they're doing now . all those drab doing now. all those drab clothes. this is an mgm . this clothes. this is an mgm. this isn't what you were brought in for. listen, let's do another film together. have you any ideas? and i said, gigi . are . ideas? and i said, gigi. are. let me get back to you on that

are his proper words . and he are his proper words. and he took about a year and a half to gather the rights . s and to get gather the rights. s and to get the best writer, the best music composer, and the best cast . composer, and the best cast. >> but gigi is the story of a girl who's brought up to be a courtesan. did that in those days that were a real problem , a days that were a real problem, a real social problem. >> so the first script written by alan jay lerner of my fair lady fame, as well , by alan jay lerner of my fair lady fame, as well, was by alan jay lerner of my fair lady fame, as well , was quite lady fame, as well, was quite close to the book by colette. i thought it was delightful , thought it was delightful, absolutely wonderful . but it it absolutely wonderful. but it it was too raw for america . so this

was too raw for america. so this is why arthur freed decided to turn it into a musical that'll drown the fish , to soften the drown the fish, to soften the edges. >> yes . yeah. um, were you >> yes. yeah. um, were you personally shocked by the plot or. no. no you took these things in your stride . in your stride. >> well, listen, you've been travelling around the world with a ballet company , and those a ballet company, and those things happen . things happen. >> believe it or not, i have a better time with this outrageous brat of yours than anybody in paris . it'll be marvellous fun. paris. it'll be marvellous fun. >> we come tomorrow . will we >> we come tomorrow. will we get. can i watch you play roulette? may i stay up late for supper? is it awfully, awfully opposition? >> you'll drive us wild . >> you'll drive us wild. >> you'll drive us wild. >> stop, you silly child. >> stop, you silly child. >> you worked on that occasion with maurice chevalier? >> yes . and he was delightful, >> yes. and he was delightful, but already quite aged and took great care of himself. he had a

butler and a maid at his attendance all the time he kept himself to himself. he wasn't somebody who fooled around with the rest of the company in between takes like we all do . between takes like we all do. >> and maurice chevalier with his butler and his maid. had he come from a grand background like you? oh no. >> no, maurice came from the east of paris. uh, from the working class . he was east of paris. uh, from the working class. he was . and working class. he was. and that's who liked him. the workers in those days , they were workers in those days, they were serious players for the intellectual and upper class and fun divertissement for the working class distractions . working class distractions. >> uh, yeah. entertainment entertained . entertained. >> and. yeah. and maurice chevalier would sing in those

theatres . was like a brighton or theatres. was like a brighton or blackpool . but he was a huge blackpool. but he was a huge star.i blackpool. but he was a huge star. i mustn't belittle him. he was a mammoth star and the upper class simply didn't go into that sort of theatre . they've learned sort of theatre. they've learned since , as you say, that gigi was since, as you say, that gigi was youridea since, as you say, that gigi was your idea for was it possible for a woman in hollywood to be taken seriously? >> did you feel you were taken seriously in those days? no no , seriously in those days? no no, i just had a seriously in those days? no no, ijust had a good idea. i just had a good idea. >> and i didn't invent it. audrey hepburn was playing the play audrey hepburn was playing the play , was doing the play on play, was doing the play on broadway . it wasn't very broadway. it wasn't very imaginative , and i just happened imaginative, and i just happened to say , what about gigi? i knew to say, what about gigi? i knew that would be good for me because i knew i could still play because i knew i could still play a little girl , even

because i knew i could still play a little girl, even though . play a little girl, even though. i was 25, five, 26 by the time i made . i'm i was 25, five, 26 by the time i made. i'm running around like a little girl, but i'm not. no, indeed, as a matter of fact , i indeed, as a matter of fact, i had a son already. i was married in. they had to wait until i gave birth to this baby boy . in. they had to wait until i gave birth to this baby boy. um doesn't show. not at all. it's something . it's because of my something. it's because of my ballet. i knew how to skip around and goof around . you around and goof around. you know, hollywood recently has come under a lot of scrutiny for its very bad treatment of women . its very bad treatment of women. >> yes. did that happen in your day? >> i'm sure it did. but but it depended on the girl. >> i'm sure it did. but but it depended on the girl . there are depended on the girl. there are girls who let that happen and girls who let that happen and girls who let that happen and girls who don't . you don't girls who don't. you don't believe that olivia de havilland ever had trouble with her

producer . do you know she never producer. do you know she never did . vivien leigh never had did. vivien leigh never had trouble with a producer. unfortunately she. it depended on the type you were . if you on the type you were. if you came in with a difficulty like this and you know , sashayed into this and you know, sashayed into your chair , uh, you could . be your chair, uh, you could. be thought to be an easy girl and so on. so it was difficult to play so on. so it was difficult to play that part on the screen , play that part on the screen, but be different in life . that but be different in life. that was the wonderful leslie caron and there'll be more from her in the next hour of sunday with michael portillo . michael portillo. >> so please stay with us. thank you . you. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsor of weather on . gb

news. >> hello there . i am greg >> hello there. i am greg dewhurst and welcome to your latest gb news forecast. a windy picture as we go through christmas eve. some strong and gusty winds brighten the north damp the south some damp in the south with some outbreaks of rain courtesy of this damaging this low pressure. damaging gusts possible across gusts of winds possible across the uk. 6070 miles the north of the uk. 6070 miles an hour. met office warnings in force. further low pressures moving in for christmas day itself. so a bit of a north south split through christmas eve. sunny spells, blustery showers across the northern half of gusts of 6070 of the uk. wind gusts of 6070 miles an hour. so do take care if travelling further south. cloudy england and wales. cloudy across england and wales. outbreaks across outbreaks of rain heavy across wales time and mild for wales for a time and mild for everyone. exceptionally mild, 1415 celsius making it one of the warmest christmas eves on record as we move through the evening and overnight further outbreaks of rain across southern parts of england and wales. the winds stay strong for a time across northern scotland but easing later on. clear spells here allowing a frost to

form elsewhere generally form but elsewhere generally mild, showery mild, cloudy and showery outbreaks of rain with a brisk wind and temperatures generally holding up 1112 celsius in the south, falling close to freezing. a few icy stretches to take into christmas day here, take us into christmas day here, and for christmas day itself . a and for christmas day itself. a lot of cloud across england and wales. some early brightness, but outbreaks rain here but outbreaks of rain here turning times. two turning heavy at times. two blustery showers further north, these as snow across the these falling as snow across the higher ground of scotland, where it quite a cool day. it will be quite a cool day. blustery for everyone but exceptionally mild south. exceptionally mild in the south. 12 or 13 celsius. >> that warm feeling inside , >> that warm feeling inside, wide from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news .

welcome back to the second hour of christmas eve with michael portillo . portillo. >> let's while away the hours into of christmas with some arts culture, good debate and mince pies. it's not a season of good cheerin pies. it's not a season of good cheer in gaza or much of ukraine, which is still battling russian invaders. but with fading support from the united states and the european union. while western governments are bulking over the scale of casualties that israel is

inflicting in its fight against hamas , i want to ask whether the hamas, i want to ask whether the west's lack of stomach for the battle indicates that it's lost sight its interests , and sight of its own interests, and i'll be joined by the retired colonel richard kemp. we've counted down to christmas over the last few weeks by sampling seasonal desserts and wines, and later we'll have a special take on those festive favourites. patties slowly is a ghanaian chef who puts an african twist on traditional british christmas treats. and i'll show you the final part of my interview with leslie caron, the star of the silver screen, whose wonderful dancing entertained generations of moviegoers in pictures such as an american in paris before all that, though, here are your latest headlines with polly middlehurst . middlehurst. >> michael, thank you and happy christmas eve to you . the top christmas eve to you. the top story from the gb newsroom is that flying debris and power

cuts could disrupt the last minute getaway plans of people today, with weather forecasters warning of very strong winds, millions are set to hit the roads today . the aa guessing roads today. the aa guessing around 16.5 million extra cars, will be on the road. and so of course, there will be lengthy traffic jams. the met office, though, says gusts of wind up to 70 miles an hour are going to hit parts of scotland and northern parts of england as well, and rail services are to be delayed today as major london stations . that's euston, king's stations. that's euston, king's cross and paddington are all closed for essential engineering works, travel editor lisa minot advises careful planning services are going to be finishing much earlier than usual. northern trains again having problems due to a number of staff availability, so lots of staff availability, so lots of trains being cancelled there. anyone who's looking to take a train today please check before you leave the house because things are not looking 100% great on the roads. it's going to very busy. 21 million to be very busy. 21 million trips are being taken over this weekend head home for

weekend as people head home for christmas, we've got that christmas, and we've got that lunch crunch that should be the one that you're trying to avoid. so between the hours of and so between the hours of 12 and two, that's when motoring organisations say roads are organisations say the roads are going at their busiest. going to be at their busiest. lisa the . prime lisa minot well, the. prime minister has urged people to focus on the promise of a brighter future, for, in his address to the nation on this christmas eve, rishi sunak says christmas eve, rishi sunak says christmas is a time of hope, but it's also important to remember those who are facing difficulties . he thanked the nhs difficulties. he thanked the nhs , police and armed forces for sacrificing their festivities with their families in the service of others and his message comes after the latest round of strikes by junior doctors in england ended yesterday. the longest walkout in nhs history is due to begin on the 3rd of january. christmas is a time of peace, joy , is a time of peace, joy, compassion, a time of hope and a promise of a better world. >> and today, as we look ahead ,

>> and today, as we look ahead, let's keep that promise of a brighter future burning into the new year . wherever you brighter future burning into the new year. wherever you are and whatever you are doing for the festivities, i wish you all a very merry christmas and a happy new year. >> rishi sunak well, in his annual christmas address, the labour leader says the story of jesus christ is a reminder that in dark times, hope and love are always worth advocating for . sir always worth advocating for. sir keir starmer saying it is a time to rejoice in jesus's birth and rekindle bonds as families and friends share joy . he also friends share joy. he also thanked the nhs , royal mail thanked the nhs, royal mail workers and the military for their work over the festive period, praising the generosity to of churches and charities as communities across britain gather together for a period of faith and festivities . faith and festivities. >> i want to wish you all a very merry christmas throughout the christmas period, we see the bonds of kinship rekindled as families and friends share in

the joy, the hope and the optimism that christmas provides i >> -- >> keir starmer, now the home secretary , has reiterated that secretary, has reiterated that the government is working as quickly as possible to stop small boat crossing . he's small boat crossing. he's speaking on a visit to bedfordshire police station . bedfordshire police station. james cleverly said the uk has reduced the number of illegal migrants reaching britain by a third at a time when other european nations are seeing numbers increase . numbers increase. >> i'm not going to aim for an arbitrary point in time. we're working on this as quickly as possible. i visited the team of border force officials at luton airport earlier , um, who are airport earlier, um, who are returning people to their countries of origins. the people who should not be here, the people who have come here illegally, we are sending them home. we intend to make sure we get the rwanda legislation through as quickly as possible, make sure we have that deterrent and continue working with the international partners with whom we fantastic relationships. we have fantastic relationships.

>> cleverly has had to >> but james cleverly has had to apologise for joking about putting a rape drug in his wife's drink just hours after announcing plans to crack down on drink spiking, james cleverly reportedly joked he puts a little bit of rohypnol in his wife's drink every night, so she doesn't realise there are better men out there. the comments were said to have been made at a downing street party, which are normally off the record, but the sunday mirror chose to report the comments . the royal navy is the comments. the royal navy is deploying a warship to guyana as tensions grow with neighbouring venezuela . hms trent will take venezuela. hms trent will take part in joint exercises in the region with the ministry of defence confirming it's part of the government's defence diplomacy. the uk is working with the south american nation to ensure its territorial integrity after a historical dispute with venezuela over minerals and oil. his majesty the king will deliver his second christmas message from a room

decorated with a living christmas tree for the first time. if you're watching on television, you can see this photograph that's been released ahead of tomorrow's broadcast . ahead of tomorrow's broadcast. most traditionally, of course, at 3:00 pm, the king is a long terme environmental campaigner, so sustainable and natural ornaments apparently hanging from his christmas tree in the background, which will be replanted, he says at a later date . now . let's just bring some date. now. let's just bring some breaking news. we can take you live to the north pole, where we understand father christmas is finally on his way. he's begun his journey delivering presents to children around the world. now that's the ones, of course, who are on the nice list. these live pictures coming to us from the norad santa tracker, the nonh the norad santa tracker, the north american aerospace defence command made monitoring santa's movements so he can get on safely with his job to deliver those presents across the world. you can see santa's just taken off from the north pole. norad

tracking his annual trip since 1955. we're . told after one 1955. we're. told after one child phoned through to the command centre asking where he was . well, now we all know. this was. well, now we all know. this is gb news across the uk. on your tv, in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. this is britain's news channel . britain's news channel. >> thank you very much. polly middlehurst and welcome back, congressman in washington dc have returned for home the christmas break without agreeing new aid for beleaguered ukraine, which continues to fend off the russian invaders. supplies of military aid for the country have slowed , and a package from have slowed, and a package from the european union has been vetoed by hungary. the european union has been vetoed by hungary . meanwhile, the european union has been vetoed by hungary. meanwhile, in the east, condemned the middle east, condemned nafion the middle east, condemned nation of israel's military

operation in gaza is growing. the former british defence secretary, wallace, accused secretary, ben wallace, accused it of engaging in a killing rage to discuss whether, as the west gets cold feet , it understands gets cold feet, it understands its own interests. i'm joined by former british army officer colonel richard kemp and former foreign correspondent and author of reporting the war in ukraine, paul conway. welcome both to gb news and richard , may i start news and richard, may i start with you and how concerned do you feel about the interruption of supplies? and i would say the lack of commitment now to ukraine. >> well, first of all, michael , >> well, first of all, michael, thank you for having me and happy christmas to you and all your viewers from the holy land. i'm actually quite close to nazareth this is the place, of course, where it all began. um, in terms of ukraine, i think the western world, europe in particular, and to an extent the us were becoming, shall we say , us were becoming, shall we say, war weary of ukraine after

getting on for two years of conflict there, and particularly without much success in the ukrainian counteroffensive which began many months ago and is now effectively stalled, and that on top of that, we've got the situation in the middle east, which has distracted the attention of so many world leaders as well as the media, of course, which is pretty important to keeping people focussed on ukraine. um, and i think that's only added to the war weariness as well . and in war weariness as well. and in addition to which there is significant amount of military suppues significant amount of military supplies being sent to the middle east for israel, which were originally destined for ukraine. so i think, you know, a combination of, of events, um , combination of, of events, um, not least the, the failure of ukraine, unfortunately, to make real headway in the offensive and the middle east war has has been a really serious problem. and i think we'll develop in a very negative way in the future . very negative way in the future. >> uh, paul konya, if i may turn to you, uh , people are now to you, uh, people are now talking about ukraine losing

president zelenskyy is having to deny that his country is losing . deny that his country is losing. um, can the west countenance ukraine losing ? what? what are ukraine losing? what? what are the consequences, do you think, for the west, if russia is allowed to succeed in ukraine, the consequences would be absolutely immense. >> michael , absolutely immense. >> michael, um, talking a few days ago to some contacts well placed in ukraine media and officials, the thing that's really terrifying them more than anything else is the very real prospect of donald trump being re—elected in the us because they're, you know, they think they're, you know, they think they would certainly be doomed then. >> but even now, of course, they are worried about what's happening with the us congress still not sanctioning president biden's proposed next arms committee , but also, of course , committee, but also, of course, this, as you said, hungary are blocking and also the poll the new polish foreign minister returned from kyiv at the i

think on friday day, saying that arms production in europe, we are behind the curve and he and he's and he's right. i think there's a very real danger that not only is the is the offensive now now blocked. you know, and stalemate but russia are are mobilising you know on a complete war economy . uh that complete war economy. uh that putin is determined to push through. and i think there's a very real danger that ukraine could, could lose and that and that i think the message for europe is actually chilling out of that. it's not just about ukraine, it's about the potential for russian expansionism , expansionism expansionism, expansionism beyond ukraine. >> paul, then can i put it to you? if it's evident to me and it's evident to you that the consequences of a russian victory in ukraine are appalling for the west? how is it that europe and the united states appear to be allowing this to happen ? happen? >>i happen?

>> i think i think there is fatigue in parts of europe. um, i think britain has been absolutely steadfast. but others, you know , others are others, you know, others are less so . and i'm somebody who is less so. and i'm somebody who is no fan of boris johnson. i support his commitment to ukraine, even though he wants all most sort of, uh , mitigated all most sort of, uh, mitigated putin's , you know, invasion of putin's, you know, invasion of crimea back in the eu campaign in 2016. but since then, i think bofis in 2016. but since then, i think boris johnson, since has prime minister. he was solid on that. and we've got and britain needs to stay solid with the ukraine. but i fear that others in europe are not, are not so committed . are not, are not so committed. and, you know, and as you and as we said earlier, we have a situation where for in media terms , political terms, terms, political terms, diplomatic terms, the situation in gaza is rather eclipsed. you know , the ukraine crisis . know, the ukraine crisis. >> uh, let me go back to, uh,

richard kemp, if i may, and indeed turn to the situation in israel and gaza . there has been israel and gaza. there has been a big change of tone by western leaders. much more criticism , leaders. much more criticism, um, of israel and the tactics that it um, of israel and the tactics thatitis um, of israel and the tactics that it is employing . uh, i was that it is employing. uh, i was recently in normandy and it struck me how many french civilians were killed . in the civilians were killed. in the build up to. and the invasion of normandy in 1944, but we do not seem to be able to apply the same standards. one might argue, to what is happening in gaza, where the west is really very alarmed indeed by the numbers of civilians who are being killed. is this change of tone really significant, richard? and does it show also a kind of lack of stomach for what needs to be done, even if israel is to overcome hamas ? overcome hamas? >> i think there is an element of that as well. and even more, uh, recently than the normandy

campaign , of course, we had the campaign, of course, we had the destruction of the islamic state, not totally destroyed, but the campaign against islamic state, in which large numbers of civilians were also, unfortunately killed by the coalition, which was not focussed on in the same way as the air campaign in gaza . i the air campaign in gaza. i think i think the reality is that israel cannot achieve its objectives of defending its civilian population from hamas without unfortunately killing many civilians and probably many more. unfortunately and that's partly due to the way that hamas fight. they they hide behind human shields. they use the civilian population to protect them. they want israel to kill their civilian population just so that the world does turn on israel and pressure israel to stop its part of their long terme tactics and strategy. i would say , however, that would say, however, that i certainly detect from over here that. certainly detect from over here that . the comments by world that. the comments by world leaders , including president

leaders, including president biden and rishi sunak, are more for the consumption of the anti—israel electorate that they obviously have to take account of as well, those people who do not want israel to prevail in this, and therefore some of the comments they're making, i think, are , uh, are more aimed think, are, uh, are more aimed at them rather than actually attempting to pressurise israel into stopping, fighting or even changing the way they fight. because i think the, uh, these leaders biden, sunak and others recognise that they they're well briefed on what's happening. they get detailed daily briefings, they know exactly what's on, they know what's going on, and they know that this is the only way israel can i, i don't detect can fight. and i, i don't detect really very much direct pressure on prime netanyahu from on prime minister netanyahu from people like joe biden, which is he's the real man that counts in this outside israel. >> that's that's an interesting view. paul connew, are you in agreement with what you've just heard? not not not really. >> i'm a great supporter of

israel, but not of the netanyahu regime . um, and obviously , i regime. um, and obviously, i totally condemn hamas , a totally condemn hamas, a terrorist organisation, and the events of october the 7th were barbaric , uh, and obscene. but barbaric, uh, and obscene. but i think the current israeli strategy is way over the top. the, the civilian carnage is unacceptable . and in human terms unacceptable. and in human terms , and counterproductive and counterproductive active. it is only going to create new generations of, you know , if not generations of, you know, if not if you like, of extremists in our eyes. but but obviously not extremists in their eyes with the consequences of what? of what's happening there . i think what's happening there. i think israel could have fought a much more a much i know richard's the military man, and i've been a former war correspondent, not a not a soldier. but i think the approach could have been different . and i think and different. and i think and i think joe biden has real

pressure, not just from within the democratic party , but also the democratic party, but also some of the republican party . some of the republican party. and of course, we always have to be a bizarre situation of president trump, formerly a huge admirer for and friend of netanyahu , who is now condemning netanyahu, who is now condemning him. but it turns out that he's condemning him because netanyahu, netanyahu didn't come out and support trump's allegations of a stolen election, which i think i think is, again, chilling . the is, again, chilling. the prospect of both both in the middle east and in ukraine and the dangers of a trump re—election . but it's a very re—election. but it's a very real possibility. according to the polls . the polls. >> um, thank you very much to you both. thank you forjoining you both. thank you for joining me on christmas eve to debate what i think is a very, uh, important question of is the west losing sight of its own interests in ukraine and, uh, in gaza? uh, many , many thanks gaza? uh, many, many thanks indeed to paul connew and richard kemp . after the break, richard kemp. after the break,

gannon , chef patty slowly will gannon, chef patty slowly will be putting an african twist on some festive british classics. stay with us, please . stay with us, please. >> hello there. i am greg dewhurst and welcome to your latest gb news forecast. a windy picture as we go through christmas eve. some strong and gusty winds, bright in the north, damp in the south with some outbreaks of rain. courtesy of this low pressure. damaging gusts across gusts of winds possible across the the uk. 6070 miles the north of the uk. 6070 miles an hour. met office warnings in force. pressures force. further low pressures moving in for christmas day itself . so a bit of a north itself. so a bit of a north south split through christmas eve. spells, blustery eve. sunny spells, blustery showers half showers across the northern half of uk . wind gusts of 6070 of the uk. wind gusts of 6070 miles an hour. so do take care if travelling further south. cloudy across england and wales. outbreaks heavy across outbreaks of rain, heavy across wales for a time and mild for everyone. mild, everyone. exceptionally mild, 1415 celsius making it one of the warmest christmas eves on record. as we move through the evening and overnight, further outbreaks of rain across southern parts of england and wales. the winds stay strong for a time across northern scotland

but easing later on. clear spells here allowing a frost to form but elsewhere. generally mild cloudy showery mild, cloudy and showery outbreaks of rain with a brisk wind and temperatures generally holding up 1112 celsius in the south, falling close to freezing. a few icy stretches to take us into christmas day here, and for christmas day itself . a and for christmas day itself. a lot of cloud across england and wales. some brightness, wales. some early brightness, but here but outbreaks of rain here turning heavy at times. two blustery further north, blustery showers further north, these falling as snow across the higher ground of scotland, where it quite day. it will be quite a cool day. blustery everyone, but blustery for everyone, but exceptionally mild the south. exceptionally mild in the south. 12 or 13 celsius.

perspectives that i, and people that i knew had dewbs & co week that i knew had dewbs& co week nights from six. >> welcome back . now, you may >> welcome back. now, you may have thought that the humble mince pie had been re—engined in every way possible , but the every way possible, but the answer is not yet, because i'm now joined by ghanaian chef patty slowly, who likes to put an african twist on british festive desserts . and she's festive desserts. and she's brought in some wonderful treats to the studio. patty thank you so much for giving up part of your christmas eve to be with me. >> thank you so much. lovely to meet you. >> let's first of all introduce our landscape of delicious food here. >> what have you brought? >> what have you brought? >> i've got plantain mince pies. >> i've got plantain mince pies. >> i've got two plantain cakes. >> i've got two plantain cakes. >> this one's gluten free and one them has got is a one's one of them has got is a one's gluten free and one's vegan. >> they're really.

>> they're both vegan, really. >> they're both vegan, really. >> one's gluten free with >> they're both vegan, really. >> almond 's gluten free with >> they're both vegan, really. >> almond flour. ten free with all almond flour. >> and i've got some mascarpone cream slather with and cream to slather that with and some sugar to go over the some icing sugar to go over the mince pies before we attack mince pies just before we attack these gorgeous things. >> me a little bit. give me >> tell me a little bit. give me a background on ghanaian cuisine and how it would relate to all of this. first of all, what what are the staples of ghanaian cuisine? cassava, yams, plan cuisine? are cassava, yams, plan on if i can put plantain in anything i will. >> it's in a cake and in mince pies. >> um, lots of meat, lots of fish, seafood, um, lots of exotic fruit . exotic fruit. >> delicious food. really. in three words. >> flavour, flavour, flavour. >> flavour, flavour, flavour. >> and what about the influence is upon it? because, i mean, we have to talk also about colonial influences . are we able to do that? >> do you know what ghana, the portuguese way in ghana for 300 years and we still have a lot of portuguese influence in our language, in the words we use and in our foods as well. bacalao we the time the bacalao we use all the time the salt cod and how do ghanaian people feel about the fact that

their food has been influenced by, by the by the, by the coloniser ? i tell you what, coloniser? i tell you what, we're not worried at all. the danes were there, the british were there, the dutch were there. bring it on. food food is delicious. and food breaks lots of barriers. and we absolutely love our food flavour with chilli. i didn't even realise that chillies from that chillies came from portugal. you know, the portuguese chilli to portuguese introduced chilli to africa, to ghana, west africa. >> you have travelled the world and would it be fair and would it be fair to say on a bit of a mission about ghanaian cuisine or maybe more broadly, african cuisine as well? is that true? >> tell you what, i lived in >> i tell you what, i lived in america for a years in exchange, student and in high school i was seven, 16, 17 and nobody knew anything about about ghana or its food or what have you. and it's really pushed me as a child. i went an child. i went to an international school in ghana, so mixed with kids from all so i mixed with kids from all over world it really is over the world and it really is something i absolutely adore. so to different cuisines to pull in different cuisines and bring them in and we don't mind at all, we've got lots of

influence in africa. i mean, nonh influence in africa. i mean, north africa has got the mediterranean food trickling in, east africa has got the indian ocean. the indians brought their spices in, south africa has got the cape malay and indonesian influence. to influence. then you come to sub—saharan africa, ghana, the portuguese were there. then there's french speaking africa. so you what, we're so i tell you what, we're swimming in it. >> great food and do you mind me saying that your your marriage to a gentleman from devon? that's right. have you had to educate him in this food? >> i absolutely have, i've introduced him to garlic, ginger , ginger all of that is on his shopping list now. all the time. >> have you have you been introduced to scones and creams and jam? >> the first thing we do when we go to devon is go for devon. scones and cream. that's lovely. i can't remember which way round you but there's a devon you do it, but there's a devon and cornwall i know , i know. >> let us let us attack. i think, i think the, i think the end of it should be the mince pies , okay. because they're so pies, okay. because they're so absolutely seasonal aren't they.

>> righty but begin to >> righty ho. but begin to introduce now your untamed introduce me now to your untamed lobes. got to be the one with grand ormond's. i can tell because it looks quite grainy . because it looks quite grainy. why? so there we go, michael . why? so there we go, michael. oops a daisy . why? so there we go, michael. oops a daisy. let's get a slice onto your plate . onto your plate. >> you're so kind. there we are. >> you're so kind. there we are. >> and i go to put some cream on it. this is mascarpone cream with coffee. so there we go. do you want a scrape that on. thank you want a scrape that on. thank you very much. >> i do enjoy . lovely. so tell >> i do enjoy. lovely. so tell me, tell me what's in here then. so this has got no sugar, no butter. >> that's extraordinary. no eggs . yeah. you can't have your cake and eat it. um, it's got raspberry um raisins, vanilla , raspberry um raisins, vanilla, the cinnamon. it's really spiced up. is it good? >> it's absolutely marvellous. and i'm so reassured by what you've said. there are no artificial sugars. of course. it's quite sweet because you've got all those sugars the got all those sugars from the fruits and the fruit, the natural sugars. >> yeah, and the raspberry, you know, tart to it know, a little tart to give it that balance . mm.

that balance. mm. >> mascarpone. there's not there's ghanaian about there's not much ghanaian about mascarpone . mascarpone. >> but told you with ghana we >> but i told you with ghana we take everything. the british were there. so ghanaians are eating you know so everything eating um you know so everything the trifle we grew up with all that sort of blancmange, all that sort of blancmange, all that know so yeah, that's that um you know so yeah, that's beautifully fruity . lovely, lovely. >> i'm not i'm not sure you can do better than that, but introduce me to your second loaf. >> right. okay let's cut this . >> right. okay let's cut this. move that down a bit . move that down a bit. >> so we're opening up. >> so we're opening up. >> so we're opening up. >> so this one, you . there we go. >> much lighter in colour. >> much lighter in colour. >> how do we account for that ? >> how do we account for that? why is it lighter in colour? >> i really don't know. i think the ground almonds in this gifts. do you mind? >> pass me plate. >> pass me a plate. >> pass me a plate. >> yes, certainly. oh, yeah. >> yes, certainly. oh, yeah. >> that's right. >> that's all right. >> that's all right. >> you sure? >> you sure? >> let's not polite about >> let's not be polite about this. >> right. a bit more cream. >> right. a bit more cream. >> hit me with >> yes, yes, yes. hit me with a mascarpone again. >> that's it, say? very much >> that's it, you say? very much like the italians do. muscat. muscat like the italians do. muscat. mu now, what is the difference >> now, what is the difference between these two? >> this has got self—raising

>> now this has got self—raising flour. exactly the same ingredients as and this ingredients as this. and this one got ground almonds one here has got ground almonds for yes , yes. for gluten free. yes, yes, yes. so they're both totally vegan . so they're both totally vegan. and like i say no sugar, no butter , no eggs. no kidding. you butter, no eggs. no kidding. you can your cake and eat it, can have your cake and eat it, but this is absolutely brilliant as . as well. >> mm. >> mm. >> good isn't it . >> good isn't it. >> good isn't it. >> i would say slightly less fruity. >> okay . >> okay. >> okay. >> um but it's and these are sort of great alternatives to christmas cake and christmas pudding. it's like a light christmas pudding or like christmas pudding or like christmas cake. >> they called it christmas on a on plate. on a plate. >> um . how complicated to make. >> um. how complicated to make. i mean, christmas pudding. christmas cake is incredibly complicated . complicated. >> and do you know what? there's nothing to this. blend your plantain blend that a couple of tablespoons of oil . rapeseed tablespoons of oil. rapeseed oil. mm vanilla almond extract. mm. choc buttons. dark chocolate . which, which is good for you. the raw dairy and the raisins and fold that with a flour. that's it. and tip it into i use

the silicone loaf tins which makes it so easy. they just flop out nice and easy afterwards. it's just so easy. so that will use self—raising flour and baking powder. and this will use ground almonds with a bit of baking powder. >> time to go to the mince pie. >> the mince pies. let's get. would you very kindly pass me yet another plate please. >> and would you recommend mascarpone with my mince pie? >> some icing icing sugar >> some icing sugar icing sugar for you. you can put the for you. oh you can put the cream on as well. why not. so you've made this in a spiral. in a spiral just cut strips of the pastry and wrap around the plantain. >> anything anything unusual about the pastry ? about the pastry? >> uh, shop bought shortcrust. oh right. >> okay. >> okay. >> nice and easy, but the. >> nice and easy, but the. >> but point is that the >> but the point is that the filling plantain. there we go. >> yeah, there's plantain filled with the mincemeat. how's that ? with the mincemeat. how's that? >> it's superb . brilliantly fruity. >> super . and . well, well. and >> super. and. well, well. and anybody who doesn't like too much sugar. these are great, you know. >> yeah. and what about the

mince pie. there's a mince pie also less sugary than its equivalents . equivalents. >> it's less sugary because i've hollowed out the plantain. sat it on there. so it's very little filling . mm. and for the filling filling. mm. and for the filling sometimes i'll cook some apples, cook it down and add it to the mixture as well to fill. >> this is brilliant. i can't think of a better way of spending christmas eve. tell me something about that beautiful coat you're wearing. oh. coat that you're wearing. oh. >> you. this is from >> thank you. this is from ghana. seamstress in ghana. i have a seamstress in ghana. i have a seamstress in ghana. super . ghana. i have a seamstress in ghana. super. and she ghana. she's super. and she makes all lovely colourful makes all my lovely colourful clothes . clothes. >> and when you came in, you mentioned that you like to hug. >> yes , i'm a hugger. >> yes, i'm a hugger. >> yes, i'm a hugger. >> i want to thank you for this brilliant food. want to brilliant food. and i want to wish a very happy christmas . wish you a very happy christmas. >> happy christmas to you too, michael. >> thank you very much indeed. thank you for having me. a merry christmas, everyone. >> of you . >> that's so lovely of you. thank very two thank you very much. two patties. minutes patties. slowly in a few minutes , we'll have final , we'll have the final instalment my interview with instalment of my interview with the legendary actress and dancer leslie caron, she leslie caron, in which she shares details personal shares details of her personal life. before that, here are life. but before that, here are your news headlines with

your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst . polly middlehurst. >> michael. thank you. the headunes >> michael. thank you. the headlines this hour flying debns headlines this hour flying debris and power cuts could disrupt last minute getaway plans. today, weather forecasts are warning of strong winds . are warning of strong winds. millions on the roads as well. today the aa saying drivers can expect lengthy jams as people travel to be with their families . the met office says wind gusts of up to 70 miles an hour will hit parts of scotland and northern areas of england. rail services are going to be disrupted as well as major london stations, euston , king's london stations, euston, king's cross and paddington closed for essential engineering works and the prime minister is urging people to focus on the promise of a brighter future . in his of a brighter future. in his address to the nation this christmas eve, rishi sunak says

christmas eve, rishi sunak says christmas is a time of hope, but it is important to remember those who are facing difficulties. he also thanked nhs staff, police and the armed forces for sacrificing their festivities with their families in the service of others . his in the service of others. his message comes after the latest round of strikes by junior doctors . and the king will doctors. and the king will deliver his second christmas message from a room decorated with a living christmas tree for the first time, a photograph has been released ahead of tomorrow's broadcast . king tomorrow's broadcast. king charles a long terme environmental campaigner so we understand sustainable and natural ornaments hanging from his majesty's tree . and don't his majesty's tree. and don't forget, of course, you can watch the king's message right here on gb news live at 3:00 christmas day . the royal navy is deploying day. the royal navy is deploying a warship to guyana as tensions grow with neighbouring venezuela . hms trent will take part in joint exercises in the region, with the ministry of defence confirming it's all part of the government's defence diplomacy. the uk is working with the south american nation to ensure its

territory integrity after a historical dispute with venezuela over minerals and oil . venezuela over minerals and oil. very sadly got to bring you some breaking news coming to us from northumbria police appealing for information and witnesses after two teenagers were killed in a three car collision in cramlington just before half nine last night. cramlington just before half nine last night . we can tell you nine last night. we can tell you that 18 year old connor lapworth and 15 year old corey mavin, both from blyth, died from their injuries as a result of that crash. the families are being supported by liaison officer , supported by liaison officer, but police asking for anyone but police are asking for anyone with any dash cam footage or any witnesses to come forward. those are the latest news headlines. more on all those stories by heading to our website, gbnews.com .

sunday mornings from 930 on gb news is. held >> so we return now to lesley caron. here is the final instalment of my interview with the hollywood dancer and actress. having guided us through her childhood in wartime paris. her discovery by gene kelly dancing with him and then with fred astaire, leslie now shares with me details of her personal life, her great loves and the giants of their age who were her closest friends and associates . please enjoy. tell associates. please enjoy. tell me about this gentleman here.

>> that is gene renoir looking like a russian. yes oligarch . he like a russian. yes oligarch. he was sort of my father in hollywood. he was my father very much . he and isherwood were my much. he and isherwood were my two fathers and his nureyev . two fathers and his nureyev. >> was it easy to get on with nufia? >> oh, yes. he was really the sweetest friend in the world. he missed his russian , his family, missed his russian, his family, his mother . missed his russian, his family, his mother. he, of course , had his mother. he, of course, had moments of exaggerate fashion and drama . moments of exaggerate fashion and drama. but he was covid perfection. he was hard working as anyone eamonn ever was . he as anyone eamonn ever was. he couldn't understand what was happening to him . he went to his happening to him. he went to his doctor and said, doc , doctor, i doctor and said, doc, doctor, i don't know what's the matter with me. i'm so tired and all

the time and the doctor said, rudolph , you have aids. he rudolph, you have aids. he couldn't understand it. he was hungry for life after having danced after we had supper, after we had talked and giggled and so on. he was going to night films to educate himself on engush films to educate himself on english language and english style . he was voracious learner . style. he was voracious learner. i adored him, leslie, do you mind me asking what were your experiences of marriage? >> did? did marriage agree with you? >> well, i was very catholic. i was brought up very proper , was brought up very proper, properly catholic . so so i did properly catholic. so so i did believe in marriage and my first

marriage was with somebody whose father was a remarkable man who had started spam . and the great had started spam. and the great pork industry and he, during first world war, had married a french girl. so i really married his mother , a french woman . i his mother, a french woman. i felt at home and my first marriage crashed when i discovered i was married to the son, not to the mother , and she son, not to the mother, and she was great fun a bit too much, perhaps , but there was no perhaps, but there was no communication between geordie and i, and i discovered that he was hooked on drugs . yeah it was was hooked on drugs. yeah it was no communication and i couldn't

understand why. i didn't know anything about drugs. i didn't know anything about life. you're a dancer. you're showing yourself off. you know . but you yourself off. you know. but you can be as naive as a little girl . my second is peter hall, and that was a great marriage . only that was a great marriage. only the trouble is, peter had his vision of his career and it didn't include me . and peter was didn't include me. and peter was a suffolk boy. he his father was really . railroad marzz in a really. railroad marzz in a little village . father and little village. father and mother were simple people, adorable people . but there was adorable people. but there was a world of difference in peter's

vision of what a wife should be like in the kitchen. and that's it. >> literally you in the kitchen? >> literally you in the kitchen? >> yes. and in those days, that's the way the british saw women. i remember being pregnant and needing food quickly . and and needing food quickly. and peter said . well, there's only a peter said. well, there's only a powerbars. and what's wrong with the pub? let's go in, have a sandwich. and he said, a woman can't get in a pub and we forced our way . and i saw all the men our way. and i saw all the men turning around and looking a woman in a pub , i mean , you know woman in a pub, i mean, you know , the days were very , very , the days were very, very different. and peter had been brought up like that, although he'd gone through cambridge with honours and put on the all the

best plays, french plays, american plays , english plays, american plays, english plays, he was still absolutely fully brought up in the working class of britain , which was very of britain, which was very narrow minded foreigners. i remember trying to rent a house when peter was throwing a play at brighton . and looking for at brighton. and looking for a house. i had a nanny for my baby , a cook and a secretary, and the lady who received us in the little house for rent asked us, uh, you nana is a french and your cook. she's german . and your cook. she's german. and your cook. she's german. and your secretary? she's french , your secretary? she's french, i'm afraid the house is not for

rent . rent. >> it's amazing, isn't it? absolutely amazing. >> and that was in the 60s. >> and that was in the 60s. >> who were your very favourite people that you came across professionally . professionally. >> christopher isherwood , jean >> christopher isherwood, jean renoir . i was lucky >> christopher isherwood, jean renoir. i was lucky. i >> christopher isherwood, jean renoir . i was lucky . i really renoir. i was lucky. i really had fabulous people around me. i have a picture of ronnie clare divine , director for comedy. divine, director for comedy. i married a witch. it happened tomorrow. that sort of wonderful farce , comedy, witty , witty, farce, comedy, witty, witty, witty about the insanity of the world. >> look here, jennifer , i don't >> look here, jennifer, i don't like the tone of your voice . like the tone of your voice. well, i swallowed some smoke last night, and i've just swallowed some more now. but that's not going to stop me from. >> molly wants a drink of water. nice. cool water. >> thank you . >> thank you. >> thank you. >> now, all i have to say is wally. >> and then i'll be glad to hear

anything you have to say. >> say you'll find out that no one named wally is able to stay away from me . oh it's just away from me. oh it's just divine fluff . divine fluff. >> like most of the films of that period before the second world war. absolutely delicious with fast modern, disciplined, disciplined art. and i'll say it again, disciplined . and . chris again, disciplined. and. chris isherwood was the centre point of where everybody from europe landed for dinner, talked and found comfort, friendship , wit, found comfort, friendship, wit, charm . charm. >> this is isherwood's as quite a young man. when do you think this was taken? >> when he was in berlin, i think after oxford, where he was sent down because he wrote his exams in latin , if you please.

exams in latin, if you please. i mean, i think he should have been given a gold medal for that. so this is about the time that. so this is about the time that he was writing mr norris changes trains. >> exactly. >> exactly. >> yes . >> yes. >> yes. >> um, bryan forbes brown forbes was wonderful . was wonderful. >> the best of . british knowing >> the best of. british knowing everything about acting, everything about acting, everything about acting, everything about directing, everything about directing, everything about directing, everything about writing . having everything about writing. having been an actor since . yet all and been an actor since. yet all and two shots to make it as a star, he was just about my size . like he was just about my size. like dickie attenborough. same both quite short and they started making films together. quite short and they started making films together . wonderful

making films together. wonderful pair and i loved british films. i loved the wit , even though at i loved the wit, even though at that time films had suddenly slowed down. it was the fault of the actors studio. you had to feel things as profoundly before you could emote it, and boy, did they take time . they waited for they take time. they waited for it to come up. you know , a few it to come up. you know, a few days ago in kensington, you were walking down the street and you bumped into someone else from hollywood , dustin hoffman . i was hollywood, dustin hoffman. i was walking home after dinner with a couple of friends. we were crossing this group. one man with white hair and two women and he said, wait, i think you would like to meet this lady.

it's leslie caron . ah . he went it's leslie caron. ah. he went upstairs insane. said, oh my god, i was so in love with you. and i said, oh, i never missed any of your films. i see your name . i rush and go any of your films. i see your name. i rush and go and any of your films. i see your name . i rush and go and see it name. i rush and go and see it andifs name. i rush and go and see it and it's always good. you're fabulous and he said, let's make a film together . you see us. he a film together. you see us. he was white hair me to anyway, he's a darling . dustin was an he's a darling. dustin was an actor. yes >> leslie, has it been a good life? >> oh, yes , a grand life. it's >> oh, yes, a grand life. it's very hard sometimes . it costs very hard sometimes. it costs a lot . it it's like very hard sometimes. it costs a lot. it it's like being a violinist or ice skater or pianist at rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal, thinking , thinking,

rehearsal, thinking, thinking, thinking , practising, thinking, practising, practising, practising thing. but who has that same luck of meeting the great people that i met? meeting christopher , met? meeting christopher, meeting renoir and hearing the family stories of jean renoir telling me about auguste and his mother and olutely fabulous . and mother and olutely fabulous. and it was like my home in hollywood . i was able to ring the doorbell any day of the week, and i'd be welcomed in with a slice of salami and a glass of not a glass. a silver goblet. if you please. always for white wine . wine. >> i have heard about your life.

i've heard about hollywood firsthand and it has been sensational . sensational. >> oh, thank you, thank you michael . michael. >> yes, indeed. the sensational leslie caron. i i really enjoyed that interview so much. i hope you did as well. in a few moments dawn neesom will be here. but that is the end of my program for today. now there is a special edition of sunday with michael portillo. tomorrow christmas day at 7 pm. for one houn christmas day at 7 pm. for one hour, in which i'll be looking back at some of the highlights of the year on this program . and of the year on this program. and then on new year's day at 2:00, you can see the entire interview with leslie caron. well i'd like to thank all my guests today , to thank all my guests today, particularly. thank them today for coming in on christmas day, christmas eve . and i want to christmas eve. and i want to thank all of you for watching. i wish you a very happy christmas. i you'll join me again i hope you'll join me again tomorrow year's day tomorrow and on new year's day andindeed tomorrow and on new year's day and indeed for the next regular programme, will be on programme, which will be on sunday 7th january. back

sunday the 7th of january. back at the normal time of 11 until one. until then, happy christmas. bye bye . christmas. bye bye. >> looks like things are heating up boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news . weather on gb news. >> hello there , i am greg >> hello there, i am greg dewhurst and welcome to your latest gb news forecast. a windy picture as we go through christmas eve. some strong and gusty winds bright in the north, damp in the south with some outbreaks of rain courtesy of this low pressure damaging gusty winds possible across the north of uk. 6070 miles an hour of the uk. 6070 miles an hour met office warnings in force. further low pressures moving in for day itself . so for christmas day itself. so a bit of a north south split through christmas eve. sunny spells, showers across spells, blustery showers across the the uk . the northern half of the uk. wind gusts of 6070 miles an houn wind gusts of 6070 miles an hour. take care if hour. so do take care if travelling further south. cloudy hour. so do take care if travell england er south. cloudy hour. so do take care if travell england er sowales.)udy across england and wales. outbreaks heavy across outbreaks of rain, heavy across wales for a time and mild for everyone. exceptionally mild, 1415 celsius making it one of

the warmest christmas eves on record. as we move through the evening and overnight, further outbreaks of rain across southern parts of england and wales. the winds stay strong for a across northern scotland a time across northern scotland but later on. clear but easing later on. clear spells here allowing a frost to form elsewhere generally form but elsewhere generally mild , cloudy showery mild, cloudy and showery outbreaks of rain with a brisk wind and temperatures generally holding up 1112 celsius the holding up 1112 celsius in the south, falling close to freezing. a few icy stretches to take into christmas day here, take us into christmas day here, and christmas day itself . a and for christmas day itself. a lot of cloud across england and wales. some early brightness, but of rain here but outbreaks of rain here turning at times. two turning heavy at times. two blustery further north, blustery showers further north, these falling as snow across the higher ground scotland, where higher ground of scotland, where it quite a cool day. it will be quite a cool day. blustery everyone, but blustery for everyone, but exceptionally mild the south. exceptionally mild in the south. 12 or 13 celsius that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on . gb news. sponsors of weather on. gb news. >> who is it? we're here for the

show. well come to the dinosaur hour with me. >> john cleese haha, that was married to a therapist and you survived. i thought we were getting hugh laurie second best model is de—man you interviewed saddam hussein. what's that like ? i was terrified i'm playing strip poker with these three. oh no.thank strip poker with these three. oh no. thank you. >> my cds need to be put in alphabetical order. >> are are you going to be problematic again? >> are the dinosaur for our sundays on . gb news? sundays on. gb news? >> we're late. get off this christmas eve and christmas day. >> wake up with gb news for the finest festive start to your christmas for you and the whole family. christmas breakfast on gb news. christmas eve and christmas day from 6 am. i got you this . oh, good. okay um, you this. oh, good. okay um, i got you a little something . oh

got you a little something. oh >> ah, sure. it's nice . >> ah, sure. it's nice. >>— >> ah, sure. it's nice. >> there's only three people you can trust in life. >> your doctor, your lawyer and your nana. >> ha ha . >> ha ha. >> ha ha. >> i'm not sure. so join me. nana akua at 3 pm. every saturday and sunday, where we discuss the biggest topics of the weekend. be ready for battle . could you be quiet? what is this ? well, if you want you this? well, if you want you should. you taste. i don't bite. well not without a good reason. always honest, always fun. every weekend at 3 pm. on gb news the people's channel, britain's news channel

>> hello and welcome to merry christmas britain. >> i'm john neesam, and for next three hours, i'll be keeping you company on tv, online and on digital radio. keeping you up to date on the stories that really matter to you this christmas eve. coming up this hour. the year's been a big one for celebrity news. we'll give you the rundown on all the gossip from wagatha christie to the beckhams and sport huge at christmas, isn't it? arsenal are heading into christmas, top of the premier league after drawing one all the way to liverpool. we'll bring all of we'll bring you all of yesterday's football results yesterday's big football results and ones to look forward to and the ones to look forward to as anthony joshua as well as anthony joshua dominating performance saudi dominating performance in saudi arabia christmas eve. arabia and it's christmas eve. >> on. >> come on. >>- >> come on. >> it's christmas and you're >> it's christmas eve and you're not are you? um,

not ready are you? um, and historically was the time historically this was the time of year largely associated with telling ghost stories. this tradition been since lost. tradition has been since lost. but this afternoon we'll be bringing it the stories with ghost investigator richard kc. and that's going to get very spooky. >> so all you've got to do is get in touch. >> send me your thoughts on gbviews@gbnews.com, or message me on our socials . me on our socials. >> really simple just at gb news. but first, here's the news with the very lovely polly middlehurst . middlehurst. >> dawn thank you. let's bring you some more detail on that breaking news we brought you in our last half hour of news. we were telling you about northumbria police, who are appealing witnesses after appealing for witnesses after two were killed in two teenagers were killed in a three collision in three car collision in cramlington. that happened just