Leading article: Statuesque

One has to feel a little sorry for those members of the public chosen to be the first to stand in the open air on Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth as part of Antony Gormley's art project. After several days of sunshine, the capital was lashed by torrential rain yesterday. Still, what great art was not borne of a little suffering? So what to make of the first day's participants? Jason Clark, a nurse from Brighton, didn't do an awful lot while performing his "Ordinary Man On A Plinth". Scott Illman, from Hammersmith, spent an hour shouting the merits of his bar. But the participant who really sticks in the mind was the uninvited protester. Never mind an hour, Stuart Holmes needed less than five minutes to get his anti-smoking message across.

So: rain, protracted boredom, a spot of entrepreneurship, and a flash of unscripted excitement. We look forward to seeing what the next 99 days have to offer. And for the sake of the performers, let's hope the weather improves.