大象传媒

THE VOTE HAS NOW CLOSED! Thank you for voting. We'll be counting down your favourite Family Guy episodes in May ahead of the new series!

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Drum roll please! I can officially announce that series ten of Family Guy will be coming your way in May! Giggity Giggity Giggity!

We're celebrating the return of our favourite Quahog inhabitants for an entire weekend! And this time YOU have control. We're asking you to vote for your favourite episode and we'll run down the top ten chosen by you across the Family Guy weekend!

So what is your favourite episode of Family Guy? It's a tough call, I know, but it's time to make a decision. We've shortlisted 25 of the very best Family Guy episodes so all you need to do is check out the episode guides. The vote has now closed.

The top ten episodes will be shown over one weekend before the brand new series starts in May.

So cancel all your plans, reserve your seat on the sofa, and get ready for the ultimate Family Guy fest. Alriiiight!

How did we choose the shortlist?

The shortlist was devised by a 大象传媒 Three panel who are experts in all matters Family Guy. Using their knowledge of the series and considering episodes recognised by fans and the show's creators as amongst the best,听they have whittled down all episodes of Family Guy into a shortlist of 25 for you to vote for.

Tell us about your favourite episode below and we鈥檒l be using the best comments as part of our Viewers' Choice Weekend!

The vote has now closed.

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Woop woop that's the sound of... Free Speech? Yes, on next week's show we'll be talking all things crime-related. In honour of this we asked three young writers to answer this question:

Should a criminal be punished or educated?

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Louise Daniels

For every action there's a consequence. Whether or not it's pleasant depends on the action. For instance, a child learning how to ride a bike, will end up hurting themselves. There isn't a magic wand to wave to ensure they go unscathed.

The rapist who ensured that a woman can never again walk on the same side of the road as a man, should be punished. Likewise, the fool who thought they had the right to take another's life, should be given an actual life sentence, not a measly fifteen years.

Figures show that nearly 50% of offenders released from prison reoffend within a year. This tells us that prisons are not acting as a deterrent against crime.

To conclude: should criminals be punished? Yes. Educated? Yes.

Criminals must be punished appropriately, educated about the consequences of their actions, and rehabilitated effectively. Now that's what I call a Criminal Justice System.

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Robbie Wojciechowski

Criminality may very well be one of the greatest problems that faces our society, but it's not one that should have its resolution decided on instinct.

Punishment appeals to the non-thinker, to the person who thinks that if they're out of society's way then the criminal ceases to exist. It's a fickle outlook, and not one that provides the answer.

Think it through; put yourself in the wrong-doer's shoes. If for some reason, you make the same bad choices that lead you to sit in their situation, would you want to be devolved from society?

Wouldn't it make you want to lash out more viciously than you may have done before? Education and rehabilitation is the only answer to crime. A life is precious, don't waste it on ignorance.

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Stephen Isaac-Wilson

To say every criminal should be punished is too black and white.

I would go with the line that a person's behaviour could be a factor of society. In many cases, a criminal should be educated as there is probably an underlining reason why the crime was committed.

Maybe the person is poor, has no food or has a trainers fetish? Obviously, there are some criminals that endanger the safety of others, but why can't all the rest just be rehabilitated?

Maybe it's just our fetish of crime and punishment.

So what do you think? Should a criminal be punished or educated? Watch the animation below outlining who鈥檚 in our prisons and what they鈥檙e in for, then tell us in the comments below.

Also join us on and follow us on to make sure you're a part of the hottest debates as they happen. And for all our videos and good stuff check out our home page.

Episode two of Free Speech airs Wednesday 4th April at 10pm on 大象传媒 Three... to miss it would be a crime.

Louise, Robbie and Stephen are resident writers for the youth led magazine Live, as well as contributing to The Guardian, The Independent and Dazed and Confused.

A few years ago whilst living in Mexico City, I narrowly escaped a violent attack by a taxi driver. Even though I got away, it still left a mark on me.听 My experience made me wonder if I found it tough, then how do other victims cope with being attacked? Do they even cope at all?

As I was in a foreign country, I decided not to report what happened to me. But what happens when a victim does want to report an attack or rape here in the UK? Do victims have enough support to help them through their ordeal? What is it like to experience our justice system?

Meeting brave survivors who shared their story听while听making I Never Said Yes (Wednesday, 9pm) gave me an insight into some of these questions and to how our system works. It showed me that at each stage of the legal process the police, the CPS and juries don't always get it right.

I met five women, all of whom had very different experiences. Shockingly, all of the women I met knew their attackers. All of them have been deeply affected by being raped.

If a victim decides to report their attack, the police then decide whether to proceed with an investigation and gather evidence. I met people who work in different stages of the听system and who admitted that it had flaws - so why isn鈥檛 anyone doing anything about it?

Two women I met did see their attackers get convicted, yet conviction rates are low in the UK. But a conviction is just the start, as victims then have to rebuild their lives. This can be very difficult, but all of the survivors I have met have taught me that victims become survivors and it is possible to fight back and regain power.

The problem that shocked me most of all was young peoples鈥櫶齛ttitudes towards consent and what is and isn鈥檛 okay. Young people are the most vulnerable, yet it seems that there is a lack of communication amongst them.

I think we need to start talking about it. Let's face it, people听don鈥檛 often talk about rape, but unfortunately in the UK it is a devastatingly common crime that most victims choose not to report, or even talk to a friend or family about. It seems that the myths and stereotypes that we hold in society can prevent people from coming forward.听 Victims fear that they may be judged, or even blamed for something that was NOT their fault. This must change - we must feel that we can talk about it as a society and not let it be one of our society鈥檚 taboos.

So I started talking about it among my own friends, and I was shocked at how many women I knew had suffered an attack, but who had never felt that they could talk about it. How many other women feel they can't talk about it?

Although people regard rape to be a depressing subject, meeting the survivors has shown me a hopeful side - that victims can regain power.

I Never Said Yes is on Wednesday 28 March at 9pm.

More information and support

I grew up in a single parent family on a tough council estate in North London where many people lived on benefits. Like many kids in my area I was offered the chance to get involved in gangs and make some fast money.

But I was lucky. I was also given the opportunity to take up acting, and eventually that led to a part in a TV series. Drama gave me a way out, and provided a different direction to my life. I've always known that I had been lucky in that respect, but making this film about teen gangs has really driven home to me just how fortunate I've been.

When I began working on Reggie Yates: Teen Gangs (Tuesday, 9pm) I had some pretty firm views. I started out thinking that people who become involved in gangs were just weak or foolish.听 But the journey I鈥檝e made over the last few months has opened my eyes.

I've met young people up and down the country who really didn鈥檛 have much choice about whether or not to join up with a gang. Some did it for protection, others just to survive.

Take Darren, a bespectacled 22 year old from Manchester. He looked much more like the kind of bright young college student that you might find at lunchtimes in the library, but he'd spent time in prison as part of Manchester's notorious Gooch Gang, and had been involved in drug dealing, violence and carrying weapons.

I was shocked, because he looked such an unlikely gang member. But as I chatted to him it became apparent just why he'd joined up. He'd spent his early years being shunted around care homes 鈥� forty two of them in total - and had been bullied at school. He wanted to show that he wasn鈥檛 to be messed with, and for him the gang was like a surrogate family 鈥� a group that would protect him if he was threatened.

The other thing that surprised me on my journey is just how strong a part money plays in all of this. Time and again, I was told that people join gangs for easy money, and the prestige that goes with it.

Perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised. In these consumer-driven times when people seem obsessed with gadgets and material possessions, money gives you status and power. It's a way of showing how successful you are; almost a way of keeping the score.

I wanted to be involved in this project because I felt I could relate to the people we were filming, but for me it鈥檚 been a learning experience. Perhaps the key lesson I take from it is just how difficult the lives of some young people are. Many have grown up without a stable family background and without any good role models in their lives.

Worse than that, some think that they don鈥檛 have any real prospects. They don't have a real stake in society, so why bother obeying society's rules? Others simply don鈥檛 expect to live beyond the age of 25.

Perhaps what most of them really need is a future that they believe is worth staying out of trouble for.

Reggie Yates: Teen Gangs is on Tuesday 27 March at 9pm.

• Find out more about the Criminal Britain season here.
• Give information on gang, gun or knife crime anonymously.

The first day of shooting for My Murder (Monday, 9pm) was pretty cool! It was a 6.30am pick up and a long drive to East London. The base in the middle of this field, with a bus full of crew setting up for the first shot. I felt ready! I prepared for the character but it's all about letting go and living, so I could truly fill the shoes of such a wonderful boy.

Accepting this role was such a fulfilling decision. I hadn't heard of the story of Shakilus Townsend's murder but the circumstances were all too familiar, especially at a time when many young people were dying on London鈥檚 streets.

This story was unlike any other; it has heart and gives a unique insight into the minds of young people. Shakilus鈥� slate wasn't clean but he was determined and thirsty to clean it! He wanted to better himself, leaving his old mentality behind him. This is a quality that can determine anyone's future, whether to make a change or see what happens. Shakilus Townsend wanted to make a change and he was such an interesting person to capture and think about while we were shooting.

All the characters in My Murder are complex. As a cast we worked closely with the director Bruce Goodison, breaking down each scene and understanding the characters鈥� thought processes. The rehearsals were tough but it paid off.

One of the best things about this filming My Murder was meeting Nicola, Shakilus Townsend's mum. I have to personally thank Nicola for blessing me with this role, for giving me the thumbs up to play Shakilus and for giving me such detailed information about him which influenced my performance. 听I really hope you all enjoy My Murder and I hope we have learnt a valuable lesson from this.

My Murder is on Monday 26th March at 9pm.

• Sam from 60seconds explains the 'honey trap' case.
• Writer Levi David Addai on how he made a shocking true story into a gripping drama.
• 大象传媒 Learning -听PSHE & Citizenship for My Murder

Danny (Malachi Kirby), Samantha (Simona Zivkovska) and Shakilus (John Boyega)

3rd July 2008.

That was the day Shakilus Townsend was lured into an elaborate "honey trap" by the girl he was crazy about. It was a trap that would cost him his life. The meeting led to him being beaten with a baseball bat and repeatedly stabbed in south London. He died the following day.

His crime? Simply falling for the wrong girl. Samantha Joseph had also been seeing Danny McLean - a member of the local Shine My Nine (SMN) gang, who was furious when he discovered the deceit.

My Murder (Monday, 9pm) tells that tragic true story of love and betrayal, and I met up with the cast on set to see how they were tackling it.

In total, in 2009. Samantha is currently serving a minimum of 10 years in prison, while Danny was locked up for at least 15 years.

Joint Enterprise

They were all convicted under a law that鈥檚 often used in gang-related crimes, called joint enterprise. It allows groups of people to be found guilty even if only one of them committed the crime. There鈥檚 been a lot of debate around the use of joint enterprise and whether it鈥檚 being applied properly in all cases.

Earlier this year, MPs called for a simpler law for gang-related murders and said new guidance should be given to prosecutors. They argued joint enterprise was vital in convicting people over gang violence, but had become too complex.

My Murder is part of our Criminal Britain Season and will be broadcast on Monday 26th March at 9pm.

Watch a preview听below:

Journalist Sam Naz presents the 60seconds news bulletins on 大象传媒 Three.

• 大象传媒 TV blog: Writer听Levi听David听Addai -听Why听the drama had to have a heart
• 大象传媒 News: Metropolitan Police knife crime DVD aimed at children
• 大象传媒 Learning - PSHE & Citizenship for My Murder

Hey everyone. Thanks so much for all the awesome tweets, Facebook messages and blog comments you've been posting about The Secrets Of Everything. It was lots of fun making a series that tried to answer those brain-tickling FAQs we've always wondered about, and I had an absolutely blast filming it 鈥� even getting buried alive and being shot in the butt with an air rifle! It's ace that you guys have been enjoying it. Cheers for the #AskGreg questions you've sent in too 鈥� there were some absolute crackers, so I've picked out a couple to have a go at answering...

cusker87 asked... Is it possible to travel back/forth through time?听And if it is possible, how far can we actually travel?

Oh man, that's a big one. And a major head screw!

Ok, here goes: The reason some people think time travel could be possible is down to Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Over 100 years ago Einstein was sat pondering one of his famous thought experiments when he hit on the idea that you shouldn't see space and time as separate things, but actually as an interlinked 4-dimensional thing called "space-time".

Basically you need to take your 3 dimensions of space (left/right, up/down, forwards/backwards) and add in another for time鈥� Kinda tricky to imagine! Then, what you need is a wormhole 鈥� kind of like a tunnel through that 4d space-time - that would theoretically allow someone to move from one time and place to another time and place in the blink of an eye鈥�

So, yes, time travel *is* theoretically possible. Whether it's actually do-able is another matter! Physicists reckon travelling *forwards* in time is all good. After all, Einstein's Theory of Relativity says that if you travel around the universe at close to the speed of light, when you come back to Earth you will have aged less than those who stayed on our planet. So technically you'll have travelled into the future where they're older than you.

What physicists aren't so keen on is travelling *backwards* in time. That's because of the time-travel paradox 鈥� what's to stop someone going back in time and killing their grandfather before their father is conceived?? There is a work-around that involves multiple universes but then it gets even more complicated. I think.

So, that's briefly the theory. But in practise? Who knows. One thing though, if time travel is possible, why haven't we met someone from the future yet? Or maybe we have鈥�

Charlie asked... Is there a sound frequency that can make you loose control of your bowels?

Ah ha, the famous "brown noise"! I love this idea.

Think of someone trying to smash a wine glass with their dulcet tones. Sound travels in a wave and is just a series of compressions and decompressions. When that sound wave hits the glass it sets it compressing and decompressing too. If the frequency of the singing matches the glass鈥檚 particular "resonant frequency" those compressions and decompressions get amplified big time. Hit a glass with a sound of that particular frequency at a high enough intensity and you can smash it.

The same principal works with your bowels! In Episode 3 we had a look at whether sound could kill you. Using a whole bunch of huge festival speakers I showed that high intensity, low frequency sound could set your organs vibrating and rippling. That鈥檚 because that particular note 鈥� I think we were down in the 128Hz rang 鈥� is very close to the resonant frequency of those organs. So if you can get a note at the resonant frequency of your bowels you could, in theory, set them vibrating a LOT, and that could mean you lose control of them鈥�

However, in practise, the music you get at gigs and festivals isn't actually loud enough to cause you an underpants issue. Plus it鈥檚 constantly changing frequencies so you don鈥檛 get that sustained impact that could lead to a messy situation鈥�

If you鈥檝e got any other FAQs drop them in the comments below, or send them my way on twitter - . Hope you enjoy the final ep on Sunday 鈥� I'll be trying to dig to Australia, seeing why fast food can make you fat, and looking at whether you can die of a broken heart...

The last episode of Secrets of Everything is on Sunday at 7pm.

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I cannot remember the last time I saw my father. In fact, I have very few precious memories of him. I remember him being strict and yet fun to be around, the problem was he was hardly ever around. Why? Because he was always running away from friends, family and the law.

From a very young age my father got hooked on gambling and he spent the rest of his life in a vicious circle trying to keep up with his losses - literally robbing Peter to pay Paul, eventually turning him into a fraudster and ultimately landing him in jail.

So here鈥檚 the irony: son of a conman gambler ends up on screen as conman specialising in card cheating. Was it a coincidence?

My parents divorced when I was seven and I had very little contact with my father since. But why is it that I took to gambling like a duck to water? My brain functions like that of a conman. My first question is always, 鈥淗ow can I cheat this?鈥� Is it genetics? Maybe.

I wanted to see what destroyed the life of a highly intelligent and charming man. Filming this documentary opened my eyes to an addiction that is as serious - if not more difficult to comprehend - as that of drugs and alcohol. I remember being so shocked on the first day of filming in Las Vegas when I met a gambling addict who looked me in eyes and said that he found it easier to give up heroin and crack than to give up gambling.

How do you know what a gambling addict looks like? If your mate became an alcoholic or a drug addict, within a few weeks you鈥檇 be able to tell and you might even be able to help. As with my mother, most people only find out that their nearest and dearest has a gambling problem when it鈥檚 too late. The bailiffs are at the door, the debts are unmanageable and the betrayal of trust is irreparable.

Gambling is everywhere at the moment. You can鈥檛 watch a football match without being prompted to gamble. You can gamble online, in the high street, and on your mobile phone. However, in school there is no education about the effects of gambling like there is about drugs and alcohol.

Don鈥檛 get me wrong, I love gambling but for some people it can be a devastating addiction. I met a young guy in Blackpool who told me the roulette machine in the bookies is his best friend and yet it has ruined his life and led him to lose everything, forcing him to live in a hostel.

I am immensely proud of this documentary. It helped me deal with personal issues I
needed to deal with concerning my father and I hope it brings the subject of gambling addiction into the public awareness.

Gambling and Me: The Real Hustler is on Wednesday 21st March at 9pm

For听information and advice on gambling, go to 大象传媒 Health.

Two years ago I was innocently Googling my own name (everybody says they don't. They do. It's just human nature).

That was how I came across a website called "Richard Bacon is a ****."

The title gave a subtle hint as to what the author thought of me; I was prepared for abuse. But what I wasn't prepared for was the sheer level of hatred on the site.

As a broadcaster, people hating what you do and hating you is an occupational hazard.

But this fella was fantasising about my death, daydreaming about me dying in a plane crash, and expressing his hope that my body would be mangled in a car wreck.

After a while, he also took to Twitter, under the name - if memory serves - "**** of the Day." As the months went on, he became utterly obsessed. Not content with just repeating how much he hated me on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis, he started posting links full of abuse to my wife, mother and work colleagues.

My new-born son even garnered a few mentions.

And it was this that got me thinking about the cowardly new world of internet abuse.

It turns out that the level of vitriol I was receiving was mild by comparison with what hundreds, probably thousands, of people around the UK were subjected to.

I'm a presenter. I come into people's homes via the radio and the TV. And I understand totally that I wind some people up.

I know that abuse comes with the territory.

Slagging me or my show off, despising my style of presenting - that's fine. After all, that鈥檚 freedom of expression.

But when someone becomes intensely personal, and crosses the line between disliking you and publicly fantasising about your death, things change.

But in the course of this programme, I discover first-hand that internet abuse is much, much worse for some people.

Imagine you're the parent of a child who has died in tragic circumstances and you're reading a tribute site dedicated to their lost loved one.

Underneath the comments from friends and acquaintances, you stumble upon graphic, violent and sexual abuse from anonymous people. People who their deceased child never even met.

Reading their awful stories was the moment I began seriously wondering what kind of people would do this sort of thing. Why would they do it? And what did they get out of it?

Beyond that, I also wanted to know where the law and the big social networking companies stood when it came to the issue of mocking dead children.

The answer, as you'll see in this show, is not very reassuring.

In The Anti-Social Network (Monday 19 March, 9pm) I meet victims, psychologists, police, devastated families and ultimately come face to face with two people who I believe are internet trolls.

Before filming began, I thought that this would be a dark, murky, complex and unsettling world.

It turns out it鈥檚 even more dark, murky, complex and unsettling than I ever imagined.

The Anti-Social Network is on Monday at 9pm.

Related links:

• Bullying: Information and Support
• Check out Radio 1's Share Take Care advice on staying safe online.
• Follow Richard on
• Listen to Richard on Radio 5 live every Monday-Thursday from 2pm.

Joel Fry plays White Van Man's听Darren Brown,听Ollie's long-suffering听second-in-command... or is Ollie the long suffering one?听Either way, Joel's kindly written us a听blog post:

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A new series of White Van Man started a few weeks ago - catch up on iPlayer if you missed it! To celebrate, I've been asked to tell you what making the show is like from the point of view of one of the actors.

Everything begins with the director's week of physical and mental preparation. The director (Iain B "Psychopath" MacDonald) served not only in Iraq and the Falklands, but also in World Wars One and Two. He is a lethal weapon.

The physical preparation involves an elaborate assault course. We all struggle with it, particularly Georgia Moffett (Emma). It may not seem likely thanks to the magic of television, but Georgia is in fact 6 ft 7in - the tallest women I have ever met. In all of her scenes (bar none) she performs either sat down, crouched or on her knees. You would never know it because she is such a professional.

I struggle in the mental tests because I suffer from extreme vertigo.

Once the director is satisfied we are physically and mentally prepared, we begin a week long meditation in absolute silence. Will Mellor (Ollie) finds this difficult, and in fact at the beginning of Series One he went AWOL. He was found in Tunbridge Wells, furiously playing the bongos. He had also marked out all the veins on his body with a red biro.

And after this week of purging, we are finally ready to dive into continuous filming.

White Van Man continues every Thursday at 9.30pm.

• Watch more clips from the show here.
• Find out more about Darren and the rest of the characters.

(Ed: We鈥檇 like to point out that at least 2% of what Joel has written is true. We鈥檙e not so sure about the other 98%...)

If the streets could talk, what would they say? What's the truth about young people and crime in the UK, and how does it affect their lives? We look at crime and justice from all angles, from the perspective of the victims and the perpetrators, with our Criminal Britain season starting Monday 26th March at 9pm.

We'll be delving into these issues helped by a range of accounts; from the stories of family members of murder victims, to the evidence of self-shot footage from the offenders, to the experience of young people with parents in prison.

Below are the documentaries featured in the first week of the Criminal Britain Season:

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My Murder 鈥� Monday 26th March 9pm

A chance meeting with a young girl ends in tragedy in this gripping factual drama. My Murder tells the true story of Shakilus Townsend, a 16 year old boy who was led to his death by the 15 year old he thought was his girlfriend. She was dubbed 鈥渢he honey trap killer鈥� and the case dominated front pages for weeks. My Murder gives a powerful insight into the reality of growing up on streets blighted by knife crime.

Reggie Yates: Teen Gangs 鈥� Tuesday 27th March 9pm

Radio 1 DJ Reggie Yates investigates the听fear, anger and violence which feeds the dangerous culture of teenage gangs. In a bid to understand how people get drawn into this murky world, Reggie meets the teenagers who see gang membership as one of the few ways of being accepted in their area. He also talks to young people who are trying to break free of a life of gangland crime and meets the former leader of the most feared street gang in South London.

I Never Said Yes 鈥� Wednesday 28th March 9pm

This film investigates the issues surrounding rape and sexual violence in the UK where the criminal justice system is often accused of failing victims. Given the horrific and serious nature of the crime, why do so few cases come to court, and why are conviction rates so low? Pips Taylor meets the survivors of rape who feel that the system has completely let them down.

There are lots more gripping documentaries in the second week of our Criminal Britain season including; Our Crime (Monday 2nd April 9pm)听exploring the stories behind crimes captured in self-shot footage from bystanders, victims and offenders,听Prison, My听Family and Me (Tuesday 3rd April 9pm)听featuring young people trying to grow up while their carers are locked up in prison, Mugged (Wednesday 4th April 9pm) a look at what it means to be mugged, from victim鈥檚 experiences to the longer term aftermath and Free Speech: Crime Special (Wednesday 4th April 10pm).

大象传媒 Three's Criminal Britain Season starts on Monday 26th March at 9pm with My Murder.听

• Read John Boyega's blog on playing Shakilus Townsend
• Read Reggie Yates' blog on 'Reggie Yates: Teen Gangs'
• Read Sam Naz's blog in which she meets the My Murder cast
• Read Pips Taylor's blog on 'I Never Said Yes'

Attention all budding entrepreneurs!

If you and your friends have got a killer idea, or already have a business but need help to make it grow, AND you鈥檙e up for the challenge, then read on...

听

听

Richard Reed, the co-founder of Innocent Smoothies, is fronting a new series for 大象传媒 Three.

He has 拢1million at his disposal, and is looking to nurture and invest in the next wave of young entrepreneurs.

In his early 20s, Richard and two friends had a business idea that no one believed in.

听

Eventually one man took a chance on them and their company was born, turning Richard and his mates into millionaires.

Now Richard wants to do the same for a new generation of start-up superstars.

STAGE ONE: SHOW ME THE MONEY

How much money can you make out of 拢100?

If you鈥檝e got natural entrepreneurial talent, this is one way to test it.

The 500 most promising applications will each get 拢100. As long as it鈥檚 legal and ethical, Richard doesn鈥檛 care what you do with the money. He just wants to see that you can make that money grow.

You鈥檒l need to film what you do with the 拢100 on your mobile phone or handicam.

And once you鈥檝e done that, you and your mates or business partners will be invited to an 鈥榚xpo鈥� to show him what you did with the 拢100. It鈥檚 also your big chance to pitch your business idea to Richard or one of his people. This is your opportunity to demonstrate why you deserve to go through to stage two.

At stage two there are only 18 places.

Will you bag one of them?

听

STAGE TWO: YOU鈥橰E FUNDED

There鈥檚 more at stake in stage two; between 拢1,000 and 拢5,000 of Seed Capital for each of 18 groups.

If you鈥檙e lucky enough to be one of the 18, you鈥檒l have around 6 weeks to put Richard鈥檚 money into action to develop your idea or progress your business.

In this time you鈥檒l be tested on some of the other skills you鈥檒l need to be your own boss, to help Richard decide which of the 18 make it through to the third and final stage.

STAGE THREE: LET鈥橲 DO BUSINESS

It鈥檚 the final stage. Now things get really serious and so does the money.

If Richard likes what he sees, he could offer life-changing investment in your venture.

Business isn鈥檛 for the faint hearted and neither is Richard. You鈥檝e got to live and breathe your idea and be 100% committed to making it a success.

If this sounds like you, then

听

听

Kids who looked about 5 years old were handed Kalashnikovs, and their mums were getting them to pose for photos with guns that were bigger than them! I could see that they were celebrating but it all felt wrong to see kids so young around guns. A year ago, few on these streets would have even seen a rifle. Now as I was deafened by the sound of anti-aircraft guns fired into the air in victory, it was clear that life will never be the same again for Libya. I smiled uncomfortably at the crowd as I was handed the new Libyan flag.

But that's just one country in a part of the world where things are changing so quickly it's hard to keep up 鈥� it鈥檚 the same in Syria. That's the Arab Spring for you.

I went to neighbouring Lebanon where I saw cyber-activists sit at computers watching video after video from Syria of bomb-hit homes; of soldiers beating people who say no to Syrian president Assad's rule and many people screaming for it all to stop.

I also met some of the people who call themselves the Free Syrian Army who were once part of President Assad's forces but are now fighting against him to the death. As far as we can tell, the fate of Syria lies in the hands of these self-appointed freedom fighters.

But, whereas the Libyans have got their freedom, reports say the Syrians are dying every day waiting for theirs. My Arab Spring journey has taught me one thing - that revolutions can be ecstatic and the best high you can ever know; but on the way they are also terrifying, brutal and murderous.

Riots and Revolutions: My Arab Journey is on Monday at 9pm

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At one point I felt like I was going to leap out of my seat. So exciting, so liberating to unify, to shout, to spurt, to speak!

I often feel that I shouldn鈥檛 be speaking about current affairs, cos I鈥檓 not a 鈥榞rown up鈥� but Free Speech just changed all of that. It鈥檚 time to give a voice to those most affected.

Of the things we talked about, the benefits seemed the sorest subject. Although I think work experience is brilliant, I just don鈥檛 understand how stacking shelves for under minimum wage constitutes as that. There are an abundance of interesting independent companies and organisations that could mentor someone in a much more valuable way.

With regards to my little section of cycling, I can imagine that many of you would have watched me in that film cycling to work whilst shouting at your telly at how bad I was on two wheels, but that鈥檚 the whole point. I鈥檓 CRUD on the roads, how can I be allowed to cycle about the streets willy nilly?

And as for alcohol prices rising? Sorry to be a massive party pooper but I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 the end of the world to not be able to get hold of the cheapest most scuzzy, puke inducing cider for a couple of squids. Please note: I know from pukey experience.

The previous blog post has got a shed load of comments on it, with loads of you saying what you liked, didn鈥檛 like, and what should be in next month's show. Join in and leave your comment to make sure your point is heard.

The went through the roof with loads of you commenting along live saying what you thought of the points being made.

And as for , an explosion is an understatement. I鈥檝e never seen so many hash tags flying around, feeding into the power bar to give a real and accurate idea of who you agreed with, and when.

So make sure you keep the conversation going online, and feed back your ideas for next months HOT FIVE issues.听

Conclusions will only be drawn from conversations, and Free Speech is one hell of a conversation that鈥檚 just getting started.

Free Speech is听coming monthly from across the UK.

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"The meeting is on Wednesday. They want you to read for the part of Keith. I'll email you the details over now," chirped the chirpy voice of my agent.

I checked my email. "Keith: Late 30s, Jamie's Dad, practical and working class." I looked again. Yep, it definitely said "late 30s." A year out of drama school and suddenly I've aged nearly 20 years.

Maybe my photo needed changing? Maybe poor diet and an apathetical approach to exercise had bumped my casting bracket up a generation? Maybe there was an administrative error? Please let it be an administrative error!

I called my agent back. "It was a balls up. He鈥檚 16/17 and is a bit of an oddball. You鈥檙e good at oddballs."

And that was it. That was my first introduction to Mike.

The audition was at the 大象传媒 Television Centre; a majestical doughnut-shaped palace of tellydom! As a boy I鈥檇 spend Saturday mornings in my jim-jams watching Live and Kicking with a breakfast platter of cereal and pop tarts before me. As the pinball whirled around Television Centre in the opening credits I would ready myself for the imminent three and half hours of killer entertainment.

In the lift up to the audition, I was told I would be reading with the actor playing Jamie.

"Oh, I said, "Who is that?"

"His name is Sean Verey. They cast him a couple of weeks ago," she replied. Oh.

The previous summer Sean and I had filmed together on a little known comedy called Shelfstackers for 大象传媒 Switch. We were famously unable to make it through a scene without corpsing. To the uninitiated, 'corpsing' is when you unintentionally and uncontrollably laugh and ruin a take. It is a bizarre sensation that is nearly impossible to stop once you've started.

At the time we put our unprofessional behavior down to our 'onscreen chemistry.' But the reality was we were immature boys with short attention spans and a penchant to try and make the other laugh.

In the audition, Sean and I were on our best behaviour. Other than a rather long-winded anecdote with no punch line, the audition seemingly went well because a week later I got the call to say the part was mine.

Soon myself and the rest of the cast found ourselves in Edinburgh, home of heartwarming documentary After a quick - and I'm pretty sure rigged - game of rock, paper, scissors, Sean had triumphantly bagged the big room in the flat, complete with an uninterrupted castle view and its very own chaise longue.

Our first all-night shoot required me and Sean to 'sleep' in a Volvo with the odd bit of whispered dialogue. Easy enough you'd think. But each take we鈥檇 corpse longer and harder than the previous. As we sprawled out in the car giggling like schoolgirls, heaters on, the entire crew stood outside in the biting cold. Eventually, after many apologies we nailed it on about take 27.

I've visited Scotland many times and have never failed to be bowled over by this unutterably lovely, whimsical land. So on days off, I would take in what delights were on offer - stunning architecture, markets, picturesque walks, a Loch Ness Monster exhibition in all new "4-D"! If I remember rightly the fourth dimension was 'time.'

I hope I've managed to convey how much fun was had, although what I've offered up is mainly a document about the blossoming 'bromance' between myself and Sean. Even so, filming Pramface was more pleasurable then a strawberry pavlova laced with chocolate. I hope you're enjoying it!

Pramface continues every Thursday at 9pm.

• Follow
• Find out what Mike and the rest of the character are saying on their status updates.
• Watch more clips from Pramface.
• Scarlett Alice Johnson on playing pregnant teenager Laura.

Tomorrow night, LIVE at 10pm from Bethnal Green, East London, Jake Humphrey will host a debate with four panellists, a studio audience... and you. It's an ambitious new debate show with some interesting new twists.

Let me tell you it works...

THE HOT FIVE

Each show is driven by The Hot Five... five bold topics affecting you in the past month. These are the issues we'll be discussing with our panellists and studio audience, so it's crucial we get these right.

We want you guys to tell us what our Hot Five should be every show, so keep talking to us on , or any of our Free Speech blog posts here on the 大象传媒 Three blog (like this one). WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU...! But in a nice way, yeah? Not like spies or phone hackers.

PANELISTS

Our first show's kickass panelists have been chosen for their strong opinions and varied backgrounds...

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听BAFTA-winning actor Adam Deacon, born and bred in Hackney - the location for our first show. Adam also has freestyle rapping skills that will probably melt your face (be warned).

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Conservative MP and businesswoman Esther McVey from the Department of Work and Pensions, making her central to any debate on benefits and the cuts.

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听Entrepreneur Dominic McVey (no relation to Esther...) made his first million as a 16-year-old selling scooters. He now has a range of business interests including Front Magazine.

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Radio One's Gemma Cairney, a much-loved presenter and veteran of the Sunday Surgery's frequent tours around the country.

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THE CONTROL PANEL

As each panellist is talking, tweet us your thoughts and include a hashtag saying whether you agree or disagree with them to affect our Control Panel.

So as Adam is speaking, tweet us your thoughts and add #YESADAM if you agree with him or #NOADAM if you don't.

Likewise it's #YESESTHER or #NOESTHER for Esther McVey, #YESDOM or #NODOM for Dominic McVey, and #YESGEMMA or #NOGEMMA for Gemma Cairney. Simples

All tweets featuring these hashtags are totted up and displayed on the control panel, giving us a just-for-fun snapshot of the mood out there on the Twittersphere. It really is down to you to have an effect.

GET TALKING

The chat has already begun on and so hop on there or comment below to talk to the production team, the viewers, the producers... well, the whole world.

BE IN THE AUDIENCE

The studio audience is an even mix, all selected for their varied views on The Hot Five issues we're going to discuss. Remember, the show will tour around the country. So if you've got an opinion drop us an email, tell us where you live and we'll give you a shout when we're in your area.

We can't wait to kick off at 10pm on Wednesdsay night on 大象传媒 Three. Our host Jake Humphrey and his mate Michelle De Swarte will be running the debate and feeding in your comments...

...now all we need is you.

Free Speech is on Wednesday 7th March at 10pm.

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The second I landed in Egypt I could feel the buzz that comes with a million things happening at once: that feeling that my brain can't keep up with my eyes! This was a place where a real revolution had already happened; but when I got there, there were still protests going on against the Army.

My experience in the capital city Cairo was a rollercoaster ride. It started with just meeting a Facebook friend and ended with me in a riot, getting chased by the secret police! Standing there as the protesters squared up to the army, I was excited and feeling the rush鈥� I was so na茂ve.

Stuck between the army (who I saw hitting anything that came their way with wooden sticks), and the protesters (who were ripping up paving slabs and hurling them at our heads), there really was nowhere to run. We got out of no-man's land just in time but I was shaking for hours afterwards.

Bahrain, the next country in my journey, couldn't be more different even though it had also seen major protests during the Arab Spring. Glass skyscrapers, paved roads and Starbucks at every street corner 鈥� it was a big change from Egypt. But the silence on the streets and shopping centres felt wrong. It was as if Bahrain had faced a silent and unsuccessful revolution; one that seemed to have been choked off before it could even begin.

However, I discovered that wasn鈥檛 quite true. I had to go to the small towns before I saw any signs of something happening. I saw graffiti saying "down with the regime" plastered on walls which had then been painted over by the police, only to be sprayed on again.

During one protest in a small town, the police started to take action against the protesters and then, started shooting tear gas at us. It was chaos; people running everywhere and the gas burning my eyes and skin. I got away as soon as I could but the Bahrainis stayed on the streets for hours. Why were these people being tear gassed? What had the Bahrainis done to deserve this? Were they armed and dangerous? No. From what I saw they were carrying flags and flowers and chanting for peace.

Riots and Revolutions: My Arab听Journey is on Monday at 9pm

Only two days to go until Secrets Of Everything kicks off on 大象传媒 Three with a double bill on Sunday at 8pm. I am so excited that you finally get to see it!

Have you got a question that's always bugged you? Ever wanted to settle once and for all that classic argument about whether you should put your milk in first or last when making a cuppa? Or maybe discover why we can't tickle ourselves? Or see if science has got any secrets to rid you of your stinking hangover?

Well, this is your chance to find out the truth! Just scribble your mind-twister down and...

1. Post it in the comments below or
2. Tweet it at using the hashtag #AskGreg or
3. Post your questions on the

I'll pick a bunch out and jot down the answers in the next blog post.

In the first episode I go under the knife to find out what humans taste like, head to Reading Festival to see if everyone on the planet jumped at the same time would it move the Earth, and hurt myself doing stupid things with electricity to find out how to survive a lightning strike. Check out the clip below:

The second episode sees me finding out whether or not you can survive in a falling lift, I sweat profusely as me and my mate Jonny have a chilli-off to find out what makes them hot, and take a gruesome look at what happens to our bodies when we die. Oh and I try fire-walking and avoiding an asteroid attack too!

Hope you enjoy the series and it gets you thinking of some great questions of your own!

Secrets Of Everything begins on Sunday at 8pm with a double bill.

Read the rest of Greg's blog posts.

Welcome to my first blog for the new 大象传媒 Three show, Free Speech (Wednesday 7th March, 10pm).

I'm so chuffed to be hosting a show that I feel will bring young people closer than ever before to the decision makers and opinion formers of our country. A show that isn't afraid to ask the big questions and tackle the vital issues that are directly affecting your lives today and your futures tomorrow.

As you can tell from our video starring Mark Grist and MC Mixy, we're determined to stir up some big chat and we want all of you to get involved...

So how has the guy from Formula 1 ended up hosting a show like this? Well, right from studying A-level politics to presenting Newsround (back in the day!) I鈥檝e always taken a keen interest in how our society runs, who runs it, and what we 'normal folk' can do to have more of a say in it.

I鈥檓 also passionate about making sure this programme is fun, and doesn鈥檛 focus solely on the serious issues we鈥檙e facing. So as much as we will be discussing problems like youth unemployment and benefit cuts, we鈥檒l also be debating the celebrity headlines and hit viral videos that are being watched online, by you, in your millions.

All too often young people are painted in a negative light, being accused of not caring about the world we live in, or being too uneducated to have an opinion on the issues we are facing. Well, the very fact that you鈥檙e reading this shows that perception and reality are very often different.

Here鈥檚 how we鈥檙e doing things in a new way on Three Speech:

Each month we鈥檒l be hitting 大象传媒 Three, live, with an hour long show that will address the hot five issues young people are talking about that month. These hot five will come from you through your suggestions online 鈥� if you think an issue is hot, tell us about it and join the conversation.

Each show will be made up of over one hundred young people, all with an opinion on the issues. Details below on how you could be a part of this...

During the show we鈥檒l be using social media like never before. As each panelist speaks, you can tweet whether you agree or disagree with what they鈥檙e saying. Then using world-changing star-gazing technology (!) the tweets will be shown through an interactive, moving picture bubble of the panelist's head. Probably best to tune in to the first show to see what I mean with that one...

We鈥檒l also have the lovely and talented Michelle de Swarte making sure the very best and blog comments are included in the show, so speak up!

And finally, we鈥檒l be keeping the debate going all month long online. We鈥檒l be posting videos, showcasing guest bloggers, asking for interesting panelist suggestions and running all our ideas through you first.

So, get started now by liking us on , following us on and leaving a comment below. And if reading this has already got you thinking about what hot issue you want to discuss, drop us a message and become part of your programme, both online and in the audience.

I鈥檓 so excited to be hosting this show and when we hit the air on Wednesday 7th March at 10pm I want us to do so with a real splash. So take this opportunity and show me what you鈥檙e made of!

Right, enough from me, over to you. Together lets really make our programme worth watching.

Free Speech is on Wednesday 7th March at 10pm.