Just like Marmite I guess you are either loving or hating all things Olympic.

I would like to say that Charles is categorically indifferent…..but that would be an outright lie.  His bus journey into town took a lot longer than usual this week and on arriving at A1 he pronounced (without a hint of sarcasm, cough, cough), “London traffic is heaving – is there something going on?”

So I guess it is a case of ‘brace, brace’ as we enter the new Olympic age here in London. 

I myself journey through Stratford every day so apologies now to all our clients and producers if I have the odd late morning, or seem a little crabby.  Other than journeying I intend to fling myself wholeheartedly into the spirit of things and hope that with the Olympics will come bright sunshine to keep us all smiling.

Our very own Andrew Stanson vowed to keep out of the Olympics….. until he landed a job there as a Media Manager!.  He will now be right in the thick of it as he co-ordinates International film crews around the Olympic Park.  Good Luck Andy, it will be a hard slog but very rewarding we’re sure.  Gold to the man with the blonde locks.

Stephen Critchlow has also been jumping on the Olympic bandwagon.  You may remember a few blogs back that we shared a snippet of his role at the Dominion Theatre where the cast of The 39 Steps performed Smetterlingers 1978 Eurovision entry Boom Boomerang.  Well in keeping with the Olympic theme I thought I would show you their entry for the same competition to win Best Video Ident.  Ladies and Gentleman – hold onto your girdles - cause here is the 39 Steps Olympics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF-DH5m0f2I&feature=player_embedded#!

So whilst some of us may experience trouble getting in and around London over the next few weeks one of our clients has already had trouble getting into the studio and was consequently late for his session. 

This isn’t such a sensational thing I know, but the irony is that the client works for one of the major rail companies and was late due to disruptions on his own line! 

Everyone, including said client, managed to see the funny side and the session itself was completed on time.  Here at A1 VOX we know a thing or two on how to get things ..er…back on track. Groan.

Brian Blessed made another visit into A1 VOX this week and delighted me with a tale of Walt Disney and Pirates.

Brian recently featured in Aardman’s latest animated movie The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists.

Hugh Grant takes on the lead role of Pirate Captain, who enters the Pirate of the Year competition in a bid to defeat his rival Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven).

Brian lends his booming vocals to the Pirate King character, host of the annual ceremony.

"When I read the Pirate King I thought, 'This is me'," said Blessed. "He's totally, utterly larger than life. He's the most larger-than-life character in the whole story. He's about eight or ten feet tall and will knock anybody into the middle of next week."

Well larger than life = Brian Blessed, and this A-List role just goes to show how Brian really is at the top of the Voice Over game.

After telling me about how much he enjoyed doing Pirates, Brian went on to tell me that he has been privy to seeing Walt Disney’s frozen body, which is rumoured to be in cryogenic suspension.  This is a persistent urban legend in Hollywood so Brian was probably yanking my chain, but either way he offered to put me in a cryogenic state if I liked……think I am happy as I am thanks.. if it’s all the same to you of course Brian.  DIVE!

Tony Hirst came into the studio this week.  You may know him for playing Mike Barnes in Hollyoaks, or in his current role as Paul Kershaw in Coronation Street, as love interest of Eileen Grimshaw.

He looked the picture of health in his T-Shirt and jeans combo.

Tony is no stranger to the voice over world.  He currently narrates programme trailers on FX and Channel 4 as well as being the voice of Daz detergent ads.  He is also the voice of the UK version of Rowe’s Dirty Jobs, Neighbours from Hell, and record ratings show, How It’s Made, on Discovery channels.

SOHO NEWS:

It is a sad day for the Soho food scene as celebrity chef Aldo Zilli has bowed out of London’s restaurant trade after three decades. 

He is blaming ‘greedy’ landlords and the chains he says are making Soho ‘like Dubai’, and killing its ‘village atmosphere’.

Zilli says:

‘I don’t want to work for landlords any more.  You end up working 13 hours a day to pay them.  Chains have more choice but it’s changing the character of Soho.  I survived 3 recessions, but rents have doubled in the past five years and the rates are 90 grand a year.  How can a small business survive?’

Zilli recalled some of the celebs who had dined at his restaurants including Sir Paul McCartney, for whom he cooked spinach and ravioli.

‘Freddie Mercury set fire to the kitchen when he tried to cook himself chips at 4am without putting oil in the fryer. 

Then I locked Prince Edward in the restaurant by mistake.  I closed up one night and he was in the lavatory, it was only when I went back in to get my pass that we found him’

So it is with a heavy heart that we bid a fond farewell to another chapter in Soho's history.  We hope that the stories and legacy of Zilli’s will live on, along with all the other Soho ghosts!

Ok folks well that is us done for a couple of weeks.  May you all be winners in whatever you are doing over the summer.  Remember – ‘if you’re not first, you’re last’ – just kidding guys – I have been watching way too much Will Ferrell again.  Till next time………………