500 word coursework drafts

Views leave X Factor as Gary Barlow announces his departure

Could the dwindling views from the country's ITV reality rock have anything to do with our favourite judge's exit? 

It’s okay. Breathe. Calm down. I know it’s hard to digest. Put down your phone and pick up a tissue, this is about to get emotional.

On the first live show of the X Factor 2013 Gary Barlow, after months of deliberation, finally confirmed that this would be his final year of doing the annual show. He spoke of one of the final three groups he is mentoring this year, Rough Copy: "I've been here for three years and I'm so glad that for my last year on the show I get to mentor you guys.”

Compliments aside, is there a reason Gary Barlow is quitting, other than his first solo album in 14 years coming out this November? “I’m an artist first and foremost, that’s my day job. I’m in Take That as my main job, that’s how I see myself,” he told the Metro shortly after the show. 

Not only this but he reportedly found last year while being on X Factor in November as well as recording an album with his five piece band extremely difficult and tiresome. “X Factor is a full time job,” said the song writer who has been a part of up to fifteen number one hits over his long career.

The blow resulted in many fans taking to Twitter and his name trending during the rest of the show as well as a debate on who should replace him. Current favourite is Olly Murs, who was a contestant in 2009 and though didn’t win the series has presented X Factor Extra years since. 

Gary will not be the only judge to have left the competition over the last few years. The four mentors have been disrupted nearly every year since Sharon Osbourne stormed out on a live show and vowed to never return, though she has this year to replace Tulisa. Past judges include Cheryl Cole, Danii Minogue and Simon Cowell and numerous guest judges such as Pixie Lott and Demi Lovato. The only judge to make it through the whole near decade the show has been on air is Louis Walsh, despite being originally axed back in 2007 when the show had some major changes – including new host Dermot O’Leary. At the public protest Louis was brought back to be one of the four judges.

There is a great need for the show to be updated each year. Strictly Come Dancing triumphed over X Factor’s first live show with 2 million more views. “A show like this needs to stay fresh and exciting, so it’s a great opportunity for someone to come in,” he said politely. “I’m ready to pass on the baton.”

It’s debatable that a new judge could either make or break the show’s views and defeat the rivalry between BBC’s Strictly and ITV’S X Factor. 

Monologue:

Kyle: But it’s not as if I didn’t try to get better, all the options I had I gradually took each one over time. But it was hard. But you wouldn’t understand. It doesn’t just come over night, it’s always there, but you suddenly get swallowed up by it. You’re swimming in a big fish’s stomach and you’re about to drown. That’s the only way that you can see out. It was suddenly there. It came and it stayed. It’s still here now. But you can see passed that. That’s good. There wasn’t a lot anyone could do for me either, for I wasn’t listening, they gave me everything, pills – counselling – therapy – exercise and even committed me at one point. But soon after, it really shook me up, it was nice to see people believe in me, not just show me their pitiful looks, because they didn’t pity me, they felt differently – caring. Actual caring, not those pretend feelings, not fragile hugs and choked whispers telling me I would get better, none of that, because they knew, as well as I did, that they couldn’t make me any better – only I could. It, this, it’s got easier. It’s getting easier. But it won’t ever be perfect. All I planned to tell you was that it will be okay and not like those people told me. It will be okay because I’ll make it that way. It’s not like I’m completely reckless. It’s not like I don’t try. I try. All the time. Always. You always told me that I would get through it, in my own way. I did and I don’t think I would have been able to do that so well if it hadn’t been for you. Because, Jesus Christ, things have – and will continue to – change and get better. That’s a promise, Julie.

Between this monologue and the next Kyle moves out of his parent’s house, gets a job in retail management and reconnects with his daughter after her Mother’s death. Since his last encounter with Julie, Kyle has achieved relationships outside of his imaginary world, the main one being with his child, Lily, who he has brought up during the last five years. She is an intelligent individual, but much like her Father, has difficulties with her mental stability especially since Julie’s passing and meeting her Father she was unaware was still alive. However, since his daughter has become an adult she has sought out medication from doctors as the counselling her Father pays for has lost its affect. Kyle finds an empty box of antidepressants in Lily’s room and after weeks of deliberation decides to confront her on the subject. 

Bibliography

Facts – 

http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/20/strictly-come-dancing-trounces-the-x-factor-in-the-ratings-yet-again-4153703/ 

• Strictly come dancing having 2 million more views than the first live show

http://www.contactmusic.com/press/gary-barlow-announces-new-album-since-i-saw-you-last 

• Gary wrote all the songs for 'Since I Saw You Last' in London 
• With Take That Gary Barlow can count eight Number One albums, selling more than 30 million copies, to his name. He has also be party to fifteen No.1 singles, sold seven million concert tickets as well as being the proud recipient of six Ivor Novello Awards. He was awarded an OBE for his contribution to British music last year following the work he has done with BBC Children In Need and the hugely successful Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert.
• Gary's last solo album 'Twelve Months, Eleven Days' was released in 1999, with his debut solo record 'Open Road' hitting the No.1 spot in May 1997.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_X_Factor_finalists_(UK_series_6) 

• Olly Murs’ on X Factor 2009

www.mirror.co.uktv/tv-news/x-factor-gary-barlow-exit/2366122 

• “I’m an artist first and foremost, that’s my day job. I’m in Take That as my man job, that’s how I see myself.”
• Gary has been a part of 15 number one singles
• “A show like this needs to stay fresh and exciting, so it’s a great opportunity for someone to come in and take the show past its incredible ten year anniversary.” – Gary
• “I’m ready to pass on the baton.”
• Awarded an OBE for contribution to music 2012

Travel writing

Welcome to Bristol, the largest city in the South West of England, with this though comes the 432,500 that inhabit it and therefore the killer traffic you'll face in the mornings when you're stressed enough that your washing you put on the line last night reaks from barbeque smoke your neighbours ate last night. It's a nice place to stay a while, not necessarily a nice place to live. If you're organised you can spend a lovely few days full of activities this ever growing city has to offer; there's the hippodrome that shows great theatre on a daily basis, the zoo where you can feed the penguins and even adopt one (though, sadly, you can't take it home), every night there is a concert that would suit your taste, whether it be in The Fleece, the O2 or the Colston Hall and finally there are the shops in the centre in town. Bristol City Centre boasts one of the best Universities in the country - ranked at 11 in 2013 - and is surrounded by other historic and beautiful buildings, as well as Cabot Circus: shopping heaven. There are a wide range of shops to visit and something to suit everyone. If it's cheap and chearful you want, there's Primark. If it's expensive and good quality you're after then Ted Baker is just around the corner. Just walking around town you'll come across impressive art from Banksy, towering statues of inspiring people and even the rebellious grafiti can leave you mouth open in wonder (how do they get up there?). Plan your time well, and Bristol will be a lovely weekend away, but pack enough clothes for your stay!

Monologue

Extract from Alan Ayckbourn's play Confusions 

Thanks. Sorry, only the man over there won’t stop talking. I wanted to read this in peace. I couldn’t concentrate. He just kept going on and on about his collections or something. I normally don’t mind too much, only if you get a letter like this, you need all your concentration. You can’t have people talking in your ear – especially when you’re trying to

decipher writing like this. He must have been stoned out of his mind when he wrote it. It wouldn’t be unusual.  Look at it. He wants me to come back. Some hopes. To him. He’s sorry, he didn’t mean to do what he did, he won’t do it again I promise, etc., etc. I seem to have heard that before. It’s not the first time, I can tell you. And there’s no excuse for it, is there? Violence. I mean, what am I supposed to do? Keep going back to that? Every time he loses his temper he … I mean, there’s no excuse. A fracture, you know. It was nearly a compound fracture. That’s what they told me. (indicating her head) Right here. You can practically see it to this day. Two X-rays. I said to him when I got home, I said, “You illegitimate person, you know what you did to my head?” He just stands there. The way he does. “Sorry,” he says, “I’m ever so sorry.” I told him, I said, “You’re a illegitimate person, that’s what you are. A right, uncontrolled, violent, bad-tempered illegitimate person.” You know what he said? He says, “You call me a illegitimate person again and I’ll smash your stupid face in”.

Hi. No thanks, no coffee for me. I did go, I told you I would go and you didn’t believe me. I sat in that green plastic chair and waited half an hour for the appointment you booked. I showed up and guess who didn’t? Her. The woman who you booked me in with. Just didn’t show, not for half an hour! Then she waltzes in all cheerful, asking how my day was. I told her, “My day was better until I had to wait for you” I said. She laughed. I wasn’t laughing, Sue. There were many other things I could have got done, but you insisted. So I went, just for you and I hope you’re happy now – happy I wasted two hours of my life nattering on about it to a stranger. Lovely. Anyway, we hardly spoke about me. Claudine, that’s what her name is, just had a tricky argument with her son! Thinks he’s got his girlfriend pregnant, she does. Was nearly in tears! I had to offer her a tissue to blow her nose in. (laughs forcefully) So, you see, I did go to my appointment but I shant be going to the next, I don’t need any help…especially not when I’ve got to pay the bus fare to get there. Bus was late too! They are so ridiculous, unreliable, bloody buses! I ended up being late myself, but still Claudia was later than I! Cancel the next one, Sue. They’re unnecessary; it’s good that I gave it a go though, isn’t it?

Article

 

 

HUNGRY HAMSTERS

‘Hamster, Hamster, what cute teeth you have!’ ‘All the better to kill all you love with.’

Jade Ford
The Guardian, Monday 6 October 14.00 BST

Animals are monsters. To be more precise, it is the rodents that are monsters; rats, mice and hamsters. Having them as a pet is a risky, life threatening choice. Life threatening for the other animals in your house. I warn you now, keep that colossal being by itself, it will naw (viciously) and claw (with brutal force) at its prey, and its prey will be something you love.

You might ask why I feel so strongly against these furry beings. There is a story behind this, a gruesome, heart-breaking story that will leave you clutching your computer mouse, your iPad, your laptop screen for comfort as you cry. This story is not for the fainthearted. At eight years old I came down the stairs to find a bloody dead body in the hall. I had been happy, ready to go to my violin lesson when everything changed. In amongst the sawdust, the toys, lay Pepper the little, innocent dwarf hamster, her stomach gashed open by little teeth, resting finally at peace. The ordeal she must have been through as Salt ate her made me miss my violin lesson and eventually quit. Salt didn’t care. Salt ran around the cage like a lunatic, happy enough though the love of his life (as I liked to think of them as a married couple before my innocence met an abrupt end) was now being digested in his stomach. The worst part of Salt’s sudden change of diet was the amount of actual hamster food that was ready, waiting to be eaten. There were enough sunflower seeds to create a football pitch of sunflowers and enough grains for an eight year old me to eat as a full main course, without wanting to eat a hand sized hamster. But no, Salt ate Pepper (ironic, I know.)

Nevertheless, hamsters are known as household pets. Children stare wide eyed at the rodents in Pet’s At Home, begging their parents for these things for their birthday, Christmas, any occasion – they want it: even though their miniscule bites will leave you running for a plaster and then clutching your fingers for hours. They might look cute, they might seem harmless, but those empty beady eyes are as black as their souls, if they even possess them anyway. If you are unfortunate enough to come in contact with a red eyed monster, fear them. Even their stare is creepy.

An evil being attempting to be cute

from www.livescience.com/27169-hamsters.html