TODAY'S TWD: THE OLD COLLEGE TRY

Cambridge University is actively seeking better representation in Toobworld, and has approached the three leading British soap operas about including its televersion in their plotlines.

The official stance of the university is that they wish to correct the perception that Cambridge was "not for young people from ordinary backgrounds".

Its rival Oxford must have it made in the eyes of prospective students - that's where all the cool murders are happening, thanks to 'Morse' and 'Lewis'.

Both universities are government-funded and with the mandate from the government that half of all young people should be attending college by 2010, Cambridge is using this tactic to attract more from lower economic backgrounds than usually attend the school.

And so 'Coronation Street', 'EastEnders', and 'Emmerdale' have been requested to play up the university in their storylines to attract the kinds of kids that could be found in less posh areas of London and Manchester and in farming villages like Emmerdale.

There's a storyline running right now in 'EastEnders' in which Tamwar Masood and Libby Fox are thinking about applying to both Cambridge and Oxford - "Oxbridge". But that was already in development when Cambridge came up with this initiative.

Oxford has taken notice of the storyline, but they're currently not actively pursuing it like Cambridge. Still, the university has made sure the producers of 'EastEnders' know about their bursary scheme in case a character like Libby wanted to look into whatever assistance might be available.

Tamwar and Libby still had a year of high school to complete on the show, so it was too soon to tell if they even keep up the storyline. It could be that audience ennui might dictate that the producers drop it.

But that's not the only option for Cambridge, which celebrates its 800th anniversary next year. They've also approached the new production team of 'Doctor Who' about including the university in a future show.

Wasn't St. Cedd's college located at Cambridge? Maybe they could find a way to resurrect Professor Chronotis from his Time War doom to rejoin his Gallifreyan brethren.

BCnU!

Toby O'B