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Archives for August 2011

How much privacy can celebrities expect?

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Sam Naz Sam Naz | 16:10 UK time, Tuesday, 30 August 2011

You've seen their faces on TV and read about their lives in magazines and newspapers. Celebrities have filled column inches and kept us entertained with their antics for decades, but this year gossip reached a whole new level. Scandalous stories of adultery and sleaze - and attempts to keep them secret - dominated the headlines leading to a huge debate about privacy.

In Sex, Lies and Gagging Orders, former Heat magazine editor Sam Delaney takes a look at some of the revelations celebrities tried to hide using injunctions and super-injunctions. He also delves into the recent allegations of phone hacking, which engulfed Rupert Murdoch's media company News International and brought down Britain's most popular Sunday tabloid, the News of the World.

Superinjunctions

Asking the High Court to slap a gagging order on the press is nothing new. Public figures have been doing it for years, but a case involving reality TV star Imogen Thomas had the nation captivated. Details of her affair with a top Premier League footballer (you know the one) spread like wildfire online, with his name repeated tens of thousands of times on Twitter alone.

Imogen Thomas Picture: PA

Despite the information being widely available, the injunction itself was never lifted. The Sun's lawyers did try - several times - but failed. Outside court, Imogen said her name and reputation had been trashed, but Justice Eady argued the married footballer had a right to privacy and was fully entitled to anonymity.

In a separate development, the extent of phone hacking at the News of the World gave the privacy debate a different angle. This time, it wasn't just stars of TV, film and sport who had been affected - it was members of the public too. The shocking revelation that the voicemail messages of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had been hacked, led to a huge public outcry and within days the News of the World was closed down.

However, the hacking of celebrities' phones has divided opinion. There was a heated exchange between the actor Hugh Grant and ex-News of the World features editor Paul McMullan at the time. While Hugh argues that most information gained from phone hacking is NOT in the public interest, Paul believes most people have no sympathy for the rich and famous because publicity is part of the game.

So, how much privacy should celebrities and other public figures expect - where's the line? How fair are the court orders gagging the press? Do you think it's time we had a clear privacy law? Let us know what you think.

You can watch Sex, Lies and Gagging Orders tonight at 9pm. Tell us your thoughts here on the blog or via on Twittter using #sexliesgagging.

Journalist Sam Naz presents the 60seconds news bulletins on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three

- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News: Q&A: Super-injunctions
- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News: Phone-hacking scandal
- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News: Newspaper breaks super-injunction

Three at Reading Festival

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Mars Elkins Mars Elkins | 16:50 UK time, Friday, 26 August 2011

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three is preparing for a big music weekend at the Reading and Leeds Festival starting tonight at 7pm with Reggie and Fearne.

If you want to ask some of our special guests a question, then here's your chance! Tonight, Fearne and Reggie will be chatting with Charlie Fink from Noah and the Whale as well as Jared Leto from 30 Seconds to Mars , The Vaccines and Beady Eye.

My Chemical Romance, Madness, The Strokes and Pulp

There's a stellar line-up of artists and bands performing over the weekend including My Chemical Romance, Noah and the Whale, Beady Eye, The Strokes, Pulp, Madness, Interpol, Elbow and Muse.

So, get in touch and share your thoughts. As you watch the performances we want to know what you think! You can join in the conversation here on the blog, by tweeting us using #bbcreadingfest or drop us a line on the .

- Reading and Leeds Festival on Three
- Go to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Reading and Leeds Festival website
- Festival line up

Mars Elkins is producer for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three website.

It's back! Doctor Who Confidential Exclusives

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Mars Elkins Mars Elkins | 10:23 UK time, Friday, 26 August 2011

Want to know the lowdown on the new series of Doctor Who Confidential starting on Saturday?

Karen Gillan, Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill

Confidential takes you to Nazi Germany through to the Pyramids in an access all areas series that contains giants, sharks and even the odd musical number! Here's a sneak peak at Hitler's office...

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A real highlight is Matt Smith and James Corden's night shoot madness where, deliriously low on sleep and high on sugar, they make up their own Dalek invasion. Video evidence is coming soon, so watch this space.

The next few episodes of the series are really about making people's dreams come true. Confidential helped TV's Arthur Darvill, who plays Rory achieve his lifetime ambition of being dropped into a tank full of sharks!

Also, there are some amazing monsters to look forward to. One is an absolute BEAST, the kind of thing that a few years ago could only be imagined, but the monster makers really excelled themselves. Confidential followed this impressive creation from the early drawings, finding someone who could possibly fit inside it (and the bloke they found was an utter giant), right through to the tough job of hand-stitching each and every single hair on the giant costume, and to its truly amazing reception when it arrived on set. Matt aka The Doctor loved it.

Karen Gillan, Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill

Off-screen, Matt, Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) and Arthur really get on with each other like a house on fire. Check Confidential's fab three below:

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One final exclusive to look forward to in Confidential is the full story of River Song... as told by River Song herself. Alex Kingston will narrate Professor Song's autobiography, telling her story... in the right order, just this once, and only on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ3...

Alex Kingston being interviewed

So if you're an avid Doctor Who fan and want to know the ins and outs of the show, then don't miss the new series of Doctor Who Confidential, Saturdays at 8pm.

Go to the Doctor Who Confidential website for more clips and exclusive photos.

Mars Elkins is producer for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three website.

Lee Nelson live chat

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Mars Elkins Mars Elkins | 15:43 UK time, Tuesday, 23 August 2011

Oh yes, Lee Nelson's Well Good Show is back on the Tellybox with a new series starting tomorrow night at 10.30pm and he wants to chat LIVE online to you legends here on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three Blog after his show! So make sure you come back here at 11pm, 25 August, if you're up for a some well good chat with south London's loveable tearaway. Qwaliteeee!!!

Go to Lee Nelson's Well Good Show website.

Terms and Conditions:

All comments are pre-moderated which may delay publication. It is not possible to publish all comments; only questions and/or comments of interest and relevance to the programme and its themes will be chosen. Do not include personal information in your comments (eg email addresses, telephone numbers); comments and questions will not be published if they contain personal information or if they contain material that may offend other users.

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is not responsible for the content of external websites linked from this page.

And if you want to find out more, go to our T&Cs site.

Mars Elkins is producer for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three website.

Cherry's Body Dilemmas: Who would like to change something about their body?

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Cherry Healey Cherry Healey | 14:03 UK time, Monday, 22 August 2011

When we decided to make a programme about body image, I was excited. It's something I've really struggled with so I felt that I would, perhaps, be able to understand the stories I was going to hear but that I would, definitely, learn a huge amount.

Cherry Healey in Cherry's Body Dilemmas

My worst period of body consciousness was at university. I was heart broken for the first time and spent six months eating the chocolate bits out of my flatmate's cereal, moping on the sofa, watching box sets until 4am - putting on two stone in the process. A classic break-up recovery method. When I recently re-read my diaries from those years I was horrified to see what I'd written. As I read them out loud, with the director listening wide-eyed, I was both extremely embarassed and deeply sadden at what I'd been feeling. I had forgotten how bad my body neurosis was at that time.

And, whilst I have become much happier in my own skin over time, there is still a hang-over from those years of negative thoughts. And at the age of 30, and now a mum, I decided that it was time to face them head on. Enough of desiring a body that I'm never going to have. Enough of looking at beautiful, leggy women and wishing I looked like them. Enough of unnecessary, exhausting and time-wasting negative comments.

So I wanted to meet women who were on their own journey of physical liberation or change, in the hope that I would learn from them how to have a healthier relationship with my own body and I hope the film begins a bigger discussion especially amongst the body conscious young women.

Cherry Healey in Cherry's Body Dilemmas

So, what did I learn whilst making Cherry's Body Dilemmas?

Women need to question what a normal body is
I tweeted the question "Who would like to change something about their body?" and had an immediate explosion of responses. It wasn't a surprise and the fact that so many women worry about their body, to some extent, is not revelatory. However, I think women should start questioning how much time and emotional energy is given to these thoughts and whether this is something they are prepared to put up with. For me, once I started being really honest about how much I think about it, I realised that I was not prepared to give any more of my life to this wasted exercise. In fact, it made me feel quite angry that I'd allowed it to take so much mental energy already.

Cherry Healey in Cherry's Body Dilemmas

Body neurosis doesn't discriminate
The first girls I met in the programme were two sisters in their early 20s. They were the kind of girls you'd look at in a bar and sigh a little sigh of jealousy. And yet when I asked them what they'd change about their bodies, out poured a list as long as my arm. Thinner thighs, bigger boobs, toned tummy... you name it, they'd change it and they meant it. When I met a group of their friends later in a bar it was the same story for them. I also met a gorgeous girl called Princess who had a bottom like a cheeky peach. Yet she felt it was so unattractive that she wanted surgery to change it. It's easy to look at some girls and think they're silly or stupid for having body neurosis but, the fact is, the media image of perfect beauty is so powerful that only very few remain immune to it.

There is light at the end of the tunnel
At the beginning of this process, I suppose, I secretly felt that body liberation couldn't truly exist in a culture with such intensive exposure to images of airbrushed women. But much to my surprise Sandra, a naturist from Gloucester, proved me wrong. Ok, ok, so I know that being a naturist isn't exactly a standard hobby but once I'd acclimatised to seeing people in their birthday suits, I realised that Sandra had a nugget of gold to share. She had taken personal responsibility for her body worries and had decided to change the way she felt about her body. It wasn't a lightening, overnight moment but it was a gradual, conscious decision to feel happier with her body. She chose to see her body in a new light: as an amazing vehicle that had produced six children and was hers and hers alone. She had stopped comparing herself to other women and, in doing so, she had found a happier, more peaceful relationship with her body. I want me some of that.

This is a huge subject that affects millions of women all over the world. I think that sharing our experiences candidly is absolutely key the to moving forward - I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this subject.

Cherry Healey presents Cherry's Body Dilemmas tonight at 9pm.

Join in the conversation and get tweeting, the hashtag is #bbc3cherry.

- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Health: Healthy Weight
- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Health: Your Weight
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- Watch Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas on iPlayer
- Cherry's Cash Dilemmas on iPlayer
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Three@TheFringe: Live Chat!

Steve Saul | 15:50 UK time, Friday, 19 August 2011

Three@TheFringe is live on TV! Join us backstage and meet the stars via the power of Live Chat!

If you're watching the show online or on TV... join our Live ChatÌýto heckle along with the performances and banter with the stars. They'll beÌýjoining us straight after they've performed!

Terms and Conditions:

All comments are pre-moderated which may delay publication. It is not possible to publish all comments; only questions and/or comments of interest and relevance to the programme and its themes will be chosen.

Do not include personal information in your comments (eg email addresses, telephone numbers); comments and questions will not be published if they contain personal information or if they contain material that may offend other users.

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is not responsible for the content of external websites linked from this page.

For further information visit our fascinating T's and C's site.

Three@TheFringe & Live Chat - Tonight, 22.30

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Steve Saul | 16:39 UK time, Thursday, 18 August 2011

Three@TheFringe is ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three's live TV showcase featuing top acts from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and we want you to join us on our live chat...

Scott Mills, Lee Nelson, Charlie Baker and Russell Kane are hosting a night of live comedy featuring headliners like Roisin Conaty, Adam Riches, Joe Wilkinson, Nick Helm, John Luke Roberts, The Boy With Tape On His Face, Axis of Awesome, Frisky and Mannish, Sam Simmons ²¹²Ô»åÌýDavid O'Doherty.

We'll be bringing you live backstage access to the stars from our executive portakabin via the miraculous medium of live chat.

Tune in tonight at 22.30, click on the chat blog post and you'll actuallyÌýbe able to banter with your favourite act shortly after you've seen them on stage.

Meanwhile here's a clip of The Boy With Tape On His Face (from an earlier show):

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Join us later tonight!

Our good and bad relationship with money

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Cherry Healey Cherry Healey | 14:17 UK time, Monday, 15 August 2011

I never thought I would enjoy eating out of a bin. Turns out, I really do.

I've always loved a bargain but, whilst making Cherry's Cash Dilemmas for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ3, my commitment to frugality was tested. I was introduced to the world of freeganism and skipping by Katharine Hibbert. Katharine has been studying the art of living for free for two years, learning the do's and don't's of hitchhiking, squatting and skipping.

To experience skipping, we prowled the streets of London waiting for cafés and restaurants to close so we could dive into their discarded bin bags to see if there was any edible hidden treasure. I have to admit that my initial reaction was one of horror - until Katharine opened up bin liners containing sandwiches, sushi, bread, muffins, cakes - all within date, all in their plastic packaging, all completely edible. I did however say no thanks to the big bags of warm soup - just a little bit too close to hospital waste.

For Katharine, her decision to live for free is a political one but for others skipping is a means of survival. Katharine was eager to make this distinction clear - for her, it is a reaction to our dangerous culture of waste.

Cherry Healey

Up in Gloucester I met someone who was perfecting the art of gold digging. Twenty-something Esma gave me the makeover of a lifetime to demonstrate what was needed in order to bag a rich hubby. With a chocolate brown tan, nails so long I struggled to do my jeans up, and a downstairs accessory (a tribute to TOWIE - you know what I'm talking about!) I was ready to go out on the town with Esma and her friends, all of whom had set themselves the goal of living off a rich man.

Whilst the method was very different to Katharine's, in a way, they also wanted to live for free. Each week they ploughed their salaries into their appearance in order to attract the "right" kind of man. They felt the money they spent at the salon was an investment - that one day Mr Moneybags would scoop them up, buy them an IT bag and give them the keys to his kitted-out 4x4. All their hopes and efforts were focused on this one outcome. They had no backup plan and they wouldn't accept that there was a chance it wouldn't happen for them. They had total faith they would achieve.

I also met someone with a strong belief in their ability to achieve. Except, this was a faith in their ability to make their own fortune. Amanda, inventor of My Carry Potty, was unbelievably glamorous, successful and motivational. She had juggled children and a business and, after years of working late after putting the kids to bed, she was reaping the rewards of her labour. And wow, were they some rewards! Beautiful houses, designer clothes, diamonds and a champagne lifestyle - but Amanda told me that the real joy was knowing she had earnt everything herself. She didn't have to ask anyone's permission, she didn't have to worry about keeping someone sweet, she didn't have to feel guilt about a single purchase. Amanda had accepted that money made her happy, and she was determined to make sure she was never without it.

On the opposite side of the county, was someone living a very different life. In one of the poorest areas of the UK, and with seven children, Claire refuses to go on benefits. She told me that, whilst benefits were vital in emergency situations, they also contributed low self esteem and lack of aspiration. And in light of the recent London riots, her views on money are perhaps even more poignant. Like Amanda, Claire has an incredible work ethic. As a teaching assistant and mum, Claire begins her day at 5am and takes two buses to get to work. She brings in just enough money to pay the bills and feed her gaggle of children, yet she loves her job. I don't at all want to romanticise financial hardship but I can't deny that Claire's family was very happy. Of course, Claire told me her life would be easier with more money but it would not affect how close they were as a family. Money or not, Claire had invested time and love into her children and was reaping the rewards.

Cherry Healey with credit cards

Whether money can make you happy or not was the core question that I asked whilst making the programme. There is no question that it can alleviate problems and make life easier. Being able to pay bills without stress, being able to outsource admin, being able to help family and friends, these are undeniable benefits of having money. However, I've always felt that whilst money can make a happy person happier, it can't make an unhappy person happy. Money comes and money goes, but investing in family and friends is what truly makes the difference in how happy we are.

Cherry Healey presents Cherry's Cash Dilemmas on Monday at 9pm.

Next week, Cherry will be talking about women's body issues on the blog and you can watch Cherry's Body Dilemmas on Monday 22nd August at 9pm.

Join in the conversation and get tweeting, the hashtag is #bbc3cherry.

- Watch Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas on iPlayer
- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 1 Advice: Money
- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News: Your Money
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The riots debate - how can they be prevented?

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Sam Naz Sam Naz | 15:40 UK time, Friday, 12 August 2011

This week, we've arguably seen the most unrest in this country in 30 years. Four nights of rioting and looting; more than 1,000 people arrested; millions of pounds worth of damage to shops, businesses, homes and cars; and courts open around the clock.

The scale of the trouble in towns and cities across England this week has left the nation reeling. As shocked communities begin to pick up the pieces, we'll be discussing the crisis in a special RIOTS: Young Voters' Question Time on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three tonight at 8.30pm.

Burnt car

The first riots began on Saturday night in Tottenham, north London, following a peaceful protest over the police shooting of Mark Duggan. However, the trouble soon spread across the capital and to other parts of England, in what police called copycat incidents - Manchester, Salford, Nottingham and Wolverhampton were among those affected. But on Wednesday, the spotlight fell on Birmingham where three men were killed in a hit and run.

As the heavy police presence helps restore order to England's towns and cities, the debate has begun into what caused the widespread riots and looting - and how future trouble can be prevented.

Riot police. Photograph by DELLISS PHOTOGRAPHY

Here are some of the main arguments:

Discipline
David Cameron has called parts of Britain "sick" and blamed "mindless selfishness". The prime minister believes this is a moral problem and has pledged tougher penalties. He says he wants to see better parenting and more discipline in schools.

Gap between the rich and the poor
A number of campaigners have linked the recent trouble to the widening gap between the rich and poor. There are warnings that rising university tuition fees and the scrapping of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) will create a "lost generation". The argues the abolition of schemes like EMA and further cuts to youth services need to be reconsidered.

Get rich quick culture
Head teachers' leader thinks it's down to a mixture of poor parenting and consumer culture. He believes young people are often given the impression they can be "rich and famous without doing any work" and says parents need to set boundaries for their children - giving them a sense of right and wrong.

"Ignored underclass"
For , which works with vulnerable inner city children, the problem runs deep into society. Founder Camila Batmanghelidjh argues there's a "completely ignored underclass" who get no help or support. She says they need better role models within communities and their voices must be heard in the wider society.

Riot officer

So, where does the responsibility lie and how can we stop similar rioting and looting from happening again? Let us know what you think.

You can watch RIOTS: Young Voters' Question Time presented by Richard Bacon live on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three tonight at 8.30pm. The panellists are: Shaun Bailey of the youth charity My Generation, Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasey, Kidulthood and Anuvahood director Adam Deacon and Sheldon Thomas from Gangsline. Join the debate online during the show - don't forget to include #YVQT in your tweets.

Find out more about the disturbances across England through ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News: England riots.

Journalist Sam Naz presents the 60seconds news bulletins on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three.

Funny in 15 Seconds Booth is live!

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Steve Saul | 09:07 UK time, Friday, 12 August 2011

Ìý

In Edinburgh? Feeling funny? Got a gag that would shame the professionals with it's sheer, undeniable brilliance? Good. Visit our Funny in 15 Seconds Booth...

You've seen our Funny in 15 Seconds clips on TV, right?

Remember this revealing celebratory own-goal of a sketch?

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Or this baby boo-boo by a new dad?

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Well this time we don't want sketches, festival-goers, no. We just want YOU, mucking about in our video booth, for no more than fifteen seconds.

Clicky the linky and Lee Nelson will tell it like it is and explain all.

The Funny in 15 Seconds Booth is located at: .

Whether you're a seasoned professional comedian, an undiscovered gem of a new act or you just fancy seeing yourself on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three website... pop by the booth and give it your best.

We put the booth up through two days ofÌý wind and rain. We could do with a laugh... ;-)

Three@TheFringe... assemble!

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Steve Saul | 17:20 UK time, Thursday, 11 August 2011

As the wind and rain soak festival-goers to their very bones, our Edinburgh Festival venue is almost ready to provide shelter ²¹²Ô»åÌýbring youÌýsome top classÌýfunny...

Ìý

Construction is almost complete.

The main stage isÌýnearly fully erect. Steady. We mean that literally.

The The Funny In 15 Booth (our TARDIS of funny) is primed and ready to record your gags.

Top comedians Tom Rosenthal, Andrew Lawrence, Adam Riches and sketch comedy mavericks Wit Tank have all signed on the dotted line to appear in the week and on next Friday's live showcase. We can't wait to see them in action.

Want a taster of what might be in store? ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Comedy has this shocking sketch featuring Wit Tank member Naz Osmanoglu...

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If you're in Edinburgh and want to know we've got planned, or you're at home and want to know how to catch our highlights from the comedy at the biggest and best festival in the world then visit our Fringe site for all the info.

If you are up in Edinburgh we thoroughly recommend checking out the excellent .

Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas: Where I went for advice

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Cherry Healey Cherry Healey | 13:39 UK time, Monday, 8 August 2011

I have a confession. Before I had a kid, I thought parenting was...
a) a doddle
b) boring
c) total instinctual

What I have experienced is that...
a) it can be pretty complicated
b) it is far from boring
c) I need help

Cherry Healey covered in stuffed toys

I used to walk past playgrounds on my way to the pub/club/shops and think to myself "wow those parents look bored". I realise now that they aren't bored because being with your child is both surprisingly fun and challenging (okay, so sometimes playing peek-a-boo for the hundredth time is a touch boring).

One of the things I'm often told is "oh, don't fret about it, trust your instincts". Well, I have found that my instincts can sometimes be pretty unhelpful.

For example, my daughter does not like sitting in her high-chair... oh no she does not. My instincts told me that it wasn't a big deal and it was more important that mealtimes were relaxed. In reality, this has meant I have spent the past year chasing her around with a spoon or leaving bowls of food on the floor in the hope she will eat something. Eating in restaurants or having a simple cuppa in a cafe is a no-go.

I have since tried and tested a few new tactics, spoken to dozens of mums, been on a dozen websites, read a few books and come up with my a solution: no chair, no food. I won't bore you with the details of why or how this works, but, for some reason, it just does. But there is no way on earth my instincts would have given me this information at the start.

Cherry Healey reading a parenting book

What I have learnt from experiences like this, and from making Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas, is that being a good parent doesn't just happen overnight. Like most things, it is a skill that you learn and that you can become better at. But I have found that there is one tool that is, without a doubt, the best help in this quest to become a better parent: the internet.

Whilst millions of excellent people have been brought up by parents who could have never even imagined the internet, I honestly don't know what I'd do without it. It has calmed me in moments of panic, it has comforted me in moments of isolation, it has made me wee my pants in moments of shared ridiculousness. It is parental gold dust.

I'm sure for some people the vast sea of information can actually just add confusion to the parenting malarky. But, for me, it has been an invaluable tool. Some of my favourite parenting online tools are (praise be), and . Some social networking sites have also been very informative. Type in any question, no matter how absurd or random, and you will find a huge community of parents discussing the same thing. And often, they have collectively come up with some pretty brilliant solutions.

It is a substitute for a local community sharing stories and offering advice - except multiply that by a thousand and extend it's availability to 24 hours a day. Everyone can get involved and offer their words of wisdom. Maybe one day, after many trials and errors, no chair, no food will help a parent who is tired of chasing their children around the kitchen with spoons of bolognese.

Cherry Healey presents Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas on Monday at 9pm.

Next week, Cherry will be tackling what money means to women in Britain today here on the blog and you can watch Cherry's Cash Dilemmas on Monday 15th August at 9pm.

Join in the conversation and get tweeting, the hashtag is #bbc3cherry.

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- Bringing Up Britain
- ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Parenting
- Is Breast Best? Cherry Healey Investigates
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The Pranker's top 5 characters

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Ross Lee aka The Pranker Ross Lee aka The Pranker | 13:25 UK time, Thursday, 4 August 2011

We're now more than midway into the series and I thought I'd share with you some of my own photos and my highlights from The Pranker:

RADIATION SICKNESS

Ross Lee is The Pranker

Having always been a big fan of the 80's horror flick remake of The Fly, I couldn't wait to fall apart in front of my poor unsuspecting blind date. And I did, quite literally, fall apart. I told the poor girl that I worked in a nuclear power plant, and that other work colleagues had been dropping off like flies. Well, that was already enough to put the poor girl off her pizza. So, imagine her shock, when my skin began to bubble, my hair fell out and my tongue swelled up to the size of a balloon! I loved every shocking moment; although, even I was feeling a bit queasy when I had to put a real human tooth under my tongue to spit out onto my plate right on queue. Well, it wasn't so much as the fact that it was a real tooth in my mouth, but the fact that it still had a root on it... Lovely.

THE POSSESSED NEW TENANT

Ross Lee is The Pranker

The possessed new tenant is a firm favourite of mine, as it is with many others who witnessed this demonic spectacle. There I am, being shown around a house, with a friendly estate agent, with a mullet down to my bum and a voice higher than Joe Pasquale on helium, when I suddenly ask him to leave me in the bedroom for two minutes while I channel the spirits. As soon as he left, what I was actually doing, as quickly as possible, was re-decorating the room with sheep skulls and stripping down to a loin cloth. When the man returns and sees me writhing like a dead squirrel on an electric fence, the poor man freaked. And so did I when I had the entire team drawing on my body with fine fibre tipped pens. I'm the tickliest man in the world and a biro on your belly is positively hell!


MOVIE BUFF

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When the producer and myself came up with the idea of re-enacting the famous Buffalo Bill scene from Silence Of The Lambs, I knew that this was to be the most terrifying thing I have ever done. The idea is simple, a girl sets up her parents and tells them that I am her new boyfriend, and I have invited them over for dinner. When my female accomplice goes to the loo, I try and describe a film I saw by acting out the scene. This involved me dropping my dressing gown and having my thingy tucked between my legs. It all worked fine, they were mortified, and my little chap remained hidden throughout. But the people who were most freaked out were the hidden camera men who had to watch me from behind. Can't have been a pretty sight!

PISS POPS

Ross Lee is The Pranker

Having grown up on a diet of Rocky Horror and Alice Cooper, the piss pops stunt was my all time fave. I was about to transform a sleepy cul-de-sac in Essex into a fully blown camp West End musical, with dancers all dressed in urinals and hose pipes squirting wee over a chorus line of kids. But the real highlight for me was rehearsing the number in a dance studio a week before. Whilst I swayed back and forth in my glitzy jacket and cane, I couldn't help but keep thinking that this was like a scene from my favourite Kenny Everett show, where, adorned in top hat and tails, he sings on a giant cup of coffee. Imagine my shock and surprise when I suddenly discover that my dance choreographer was in that very sketch! What are the chances? About as slim as my legs.

IT'S OK, IM GAY

Ross Lee is The Pranker

Trying it on with a girl in front of their boyfriend must be about as stupid as eating a box of pins. But this is what I did in what I consider my bravest venture, to feel the boobs of another man's lady right in front of their face. Luckily, I had a get-out clause, as soon as they raised a fist I would simply try and calm the situation down by telling the brute that, "it's OK, I'm gay." Whilst massaging a young couple, one of whom is a very attractive lady in on the gag, and another who is a high testosteroned footballer, I proceeded to get more and more outrageous until I was filming up her skirt. Fortunately, I survived, but don't mind admitting that my hands were shaking and I was positive this would end badly. It hasn't. The other night in a bar, I overheard a group of kids shouting, "it's OK, I'm gay!" I've arrived.

Watch Ross Lee as The Pranker every Thursdays at 10.30pm.

- Watch The Pranker clips
- Catch Episode 3 on iPlayer

Three@TheFringe

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Steve Saul | 15:08 UK time, Tuesday, 2 August 2011

This summer ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three is bringing you the best comedy from this year's Edinburgh Festival...

This year ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Three is all about bringing you the funny from The Fringe. The biggest and best comedy festival in the world.

If you're actually at the festival you'll be able to visit the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ venue, pop inside our Funny in 15 Booth and record your best gag. (Top tip: Have a go before you hit the bar.) Then we'll put your #Funnyin15 clips on our website so you can share your moment of madness with the world.

Keep a close eye on the Red Button from the 16th of August onwards for exclusive collections of anything-could-happen sketches and stand up from the best new hot shots in this biz of show. Don't worry if you miss any of the stuff on the red button. We'll be publishing all those gigs online too.

You can keep up with what's going on by and following .

In fact, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Steve and it's been an amazing surprise to be asked to bring you the best backstage activity from the venue via the miracle of Social Media. Actually, I grovelled. I begged. I schmoozled Mister Tumble. I wined and dined The Chuckle Brothers. Finally... my dream came true.

Right, enough about me, back to the schedule.

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Lee Nelson, Rusell Kane, Charlie Baker, David O'Doherty, Roisin Conaty and Joe Wilkinson will be starring in our live TV show on Friday August 19th, and you can join in online. We'll be doing live webchat throughout the show where you can gossip with the stars and maybe influence what happens onstage as it happens.

Please remember, if you have to heckle... make it brilliant. ;-)

Between now and then, let's marvel at Charlie's twinkle-toed performances on Let's Dance For Comic Relief...

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See you in Edinburgh, Steve.

Steve Saul is a producer for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Comedy.

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