Thursday 15 March 2012

Runaround Dunc

I had one of those days yesterday which I haven't experienced since the early days of my business. One of the 15 hour bad boys.

It was tough, but it pales into insignificance compared with that of the indefatigable crusader and all-round business guy, Duncan Bannatyne. He was up bright and early in Scotland 'doing his bit', so he was.
TV personality and ex-smoker Duncan Bannatyne has thrown his support behind a stop smoking campaign in Viewpark.

The No Smoking Day ambassador said: “As an ex-smoker myself, I know how hard it can be to give up but I promise it’s worth the effort.

“You’re four times more likely to success if you get help from your local stop smoking service, which is why I wholeheartedly support NHS Lanarkshire’s north east health improvement teams efforts to let people in North Lanarkshire know what help and support is available.”
Then he was in Hounslow.
No Smoking Day ambassador and Dragon’s Den star, Duncan Bannatyne, said: “As an ex-smoker myself, I know how hard it can be go give up but I promise it’s worth the effort. You’re four times more likely to succeed if you get help from your local stop smoking service, which is why I wholeheartedly support Hounslow’s efforts to let local people know what help and support is available.”
And then the Isle of Wight.
No Smoking Day ambassador and Dragon’s Den star, Duncan Bannatyne, said: "As an ex-smoker myself I know how hard it can be to give up but I promise it’s worth the effort. You're four times more likely to succeed if you get help from your local stop smoking service, which is why I wholeheartedly support NHS Isle of Wight’s efforts to let Islanders know what help and support is available.
The amazing thing is that the Scotland piece was timed at 6:15am, and the Isle of Wight one at 7:00am. Plus he stopped off in Middlesex on the way? That's one hell of a private jet he has there!

Or he could have been on the set of Dragon's Den all day, not even bothering to mention NSD on his Twitter feed.

It looks, then, like this must be one of those modern 'news' stories that isn't. Most likely press released out by some state-funded anti-smoking quango with [insert your locality/PCT here] dropped in here and there.

Another fine example of state propaganda being produced at your expense. Marvellous.


8 comments:

woodsy42 said...

Goodness gracious DP, you are not sugesting that someone lied are you? I'm sure they would never do such a thing.

shelldon said...

There is a rumour that he won't be on Dragons Den any more. Messy divorce and his ex wife,s fleeced him.

lurker said...

And Bath, and Solihull, and Worcestershire... http://www.google.co.uk/#q=As+an+ex-smoker+myself,+I+know+how+hard+it+can+be+to+give+up+but+I+promise+it%E2%80%99s+worth+the+effort.++You%E2%80%99re+four+times+more+likely+to+success+if+you+get+help+from+your+local+stop+smoking+service,+which+is+why+I+wholeheartedly+support

…Zaph said...

Perhaps off topic but this reminded me of the great clip from the Conan O'Brien show over in America concerning a story about "the death of e-mail overload" showing endless local news actors reading out exactly the same words all over the USA. (http://allthingsd.com/20120312/viral-video-could-this-be-the-end-of-tv-news-overload/)

Remember the good old days when news WAS news, and not just carefully crafted press releases written in advance and embargoed until a certain time? (It's amazing how many stories break on the BBC news website between about midnight and 03.00 for instance…)

Jay said...

Everybody who's somebody knows that Bannatyne has a personal teleporter.  Or he's managed to clone himself so he can torment us forever.  Anyway, this guy is the very definition of assholery.  I mean, he and NYC's Mayor Bloomberg are in the top two spots of the list for biggest assholes of this modern era. 

Mac McCubbin said...

What a tribute to modern transport/communications systems to enable Masturbationtyme to be a sententious finger-wagging dildo in three (six? Lurker?) locations almost simultaneously.  Shelldon - let's hope his ex left him standing in his undercrackers, couldn't happen to a nicer bloke...

Unbowed said...

Just as I settle down for a pleasant session of blog analysis,some
inconsiderate persons mention those two tormented ,twisted,purile,
sanitised screwballed gargoyles, ,Bannatyne and Bloomberg.
They epitomise the junk rating of high profile Western chatterers.
As for The Dragons Den,anybody who watches that, really needs to get
seen to,mind you ,live Golf runs it close.
Polite request,can anyone suggest a site where rebellion is afoot.

Jay said...

 Sorry.  I did not intend to ruin your pleasantries. 

Stay tuned for a rebellion site.  We're due for a proper revolution.  It's coming.  As Britain seems quite keen to allow extradition of its citizens, perhaps we need to exile a few pols, celebs, antis and journalists, just to a make a point. 

Expect us.