iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 22h

Boxing Day on BBC Two, right now.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 22h

At the pub. Folded another haunted crisp packet.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

A lovely clear night here by the Severn.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

37 years in print and it comes to this. Oooft indeed.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The amount of ‘print ready artwork’ I have to deal with that is in fact low resolution Chat GPT generated slop, is quite depressing.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

And you tell today’s kids this and they won’t believe you! I remember taking ages desperate to make a call, but waiting until the house was quiet enough to at least have a minute of privacy….!

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Reposted by Chris Ponting

Chrispy Chicken Noodle @curiousorange.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Reach: Sweet Caroline for idiots. #totp

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Sorry Jon, but you’re no Dr Alban #totp

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I sometimes wonder if I keep coming here just to keep the numbers up #totp

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

In my view, things started to go wrong when we stopped having tethered telephone furniture.

A telephone seat - a cabinet with a drawer and shelf for phone books, and a built in seat for comfortable conversation.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

There’s something truly special about finding a diary, and doing the detective work to find out who it belonged to and what life they had. The year we had with Arthur Hirst and the #1947Diary was fascinating.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Wednesday 23rd February 2022. Alan, along with a galaxy of stars, attend Baz’s funeral.

23 February. Barry Cryer's funeral. Breakspear Crematorium at Ruislip in the parish of Harefield (with its tombs) - now the heart of suburbia. Michael Palin one of the throng outside, both he and
R. standing while someone makes room for me. Service conducted by a funeral handler, and not badly, though I'm reminded of Simon Gray after Alan Bates's Derbyshire funeral, 'I want the old Prayer Book and not a word more.' That apart it was good, not particularly trying for laughs (Palin predictably funniest), his family good and best of all his widow, looking (at ninety something?) very glamorous still (her sister there, a hundred, on a stick but otherwise h&h) and wholly composed. Thereafter at a local hotel where I'm installed on a sofa and people come up, particularly comedians - Rob Brydon, Arthur Smith, Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Bob Cryer, and David Sherlock, Graham Chapman's relict, once a thin lad with odd ears who I remember from the seventies now a substantial middle-aged figure. None of the Oldie crowd that I could see, though Harry Mount is there. An unrecognisable old man on sticks who R. tells me is Bernard Cribbins.
The last joke Barry told me, only a week or two before his death, concerned a couple walking down the street when they spot someone across the road. The wife looks twice. 'Isn't that the Archbishop of Canterbury?" The husband isn't sure or even much interested but the wife prevails on him to go over and ask him if she's right.
"Forgive me asking but aren't you the Archbishop of Canterbury?' Man: Fuck off.
The husband returns to his wife, who asks what the man had
replied
Husband: He said, 'Fuck off!'
'Oh', said his wife. 'Now we shall never know?
The regular scenario for many of Barry's jokes concerned St Peter at the gates of heaven, so that when he finally arrived there last month it can have been no surprise.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Thursday 27th January 2022. Alan Titchmarsh tells Alan Bennett that Barry Cryer has died.

27 January. A call from Alan Titchmarsh to tell me Barry Cryer has died. Sheer sorrow - no mixed feelings, a light extinguished.
Not my sort of man at all and I was always amazed he liked me - ringing up out of the blue but almost on a weekly basis ("Cryer, I'm afraid') or embarking (without any introduction) on a joke and signing off, 'Well, I'll give you back your day? Dozens of people on his distinguished joke circuit - Judi Dench, Andrew Marr, Tony Harrison - quite apart from his radio and TV audiences.
As so often it's the landscape that alters.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I can’t cope with Ghost Ship, far too hoppy for me. Will look out for Ram Rod next time I’m in Home Bargains, not one I’ve tried.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

A hint of Mike Bubbins there too.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I haven’t seen a can out in the wild in years, think they disappeared during Covid. Though I do have 4 cans that I’m hanging on to.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

It’s only 3.4% ABV which is a bit of a disappointment.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I liked it which surprised me as I’m not a big fan of the hoppier pint, but there’s a bit of sweetness too. But £5.85 is too expensive.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I bought two bottles, so I could use one for the tight pour and chill, and the other for the top up. But I’m not sure I will…..!

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Only 3.4% unfortunately. At least I can go to The ‘Shoes and get my fix of the full cream stuff.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

It’s a cracking drop! Shame the offer is over, £5 for four 440ml cans feels about right. I’ll keep buying though, just not as often.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The Tesco offers on Double Diamond and St Austell Tribute are over, BUT instead the 3.4% Bass is available at a quid a bottle. ASDA is the place to go for Tribute, currently £4.98 for four 500ml cans. Over a quid cheaper than Tesco. #BoozeBargains

Bottles of Bass in Tesco at £1 a bottle.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Not been over to Ciren Farmer’s Market, Stroud is closer and has more than enough. Think we might have to get over there though!

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Using the Stagecoach bus app to find single tickets in your area.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

As we live a couple of miles from junction 13 of the M5, I know it well - though we don’t actually visit very often! Think we’ll have to wander up there soon!

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

With the same sort of size and structural integrity as a pickling onion, it’s a wonder the pickled sprout isn’t more available. They’d be cracking pickled with chillies.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Michael Gainsford has a bit of the Rufus Jones about him #Mastermind #Mastermind1977

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

He was almost in the huff when Magnus said his answer was wrong #Mastermind #Mastermind1977

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Good work! The old style version is much better!

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Lecturer? I think you’ll find he’s a fish canner #Mastermind1977 #Mastermind

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I see Marti Webb didn’t make the cut.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It is, just a slow running one to keep everyone moving. They’d also know how long it would take to get round, and time the tickets accordingly.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Went to the Tower of London last year. They have a travellator to stop people loitering by the crowns, but as there was no one there I moonwalked to get a bit of a bonus view.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

In the buffet they served draught keg bitter and you could get cheese on toast cooked to order. Great times.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Gave me a bit of a kick too. Feeling better now, though I have been dozing on the sofa!

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A properly shivery evening, then a night of waking up every hour. Headache finally fading, hopefully that’s the worst of it over.

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Reposted by Chris Ponting

Ian McDougall @ianmcdougall.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

My favourite Brannigan fact - the Ford Granada NHK293M used in the film is just two numbers away from the Granada used in the opening titles of The Sweeney.

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Chris Ponting @chrisponting.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Brannigan on 5Action in 5 mins. Another chance to see John Wayne push Tony Robinson into the Thames.

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