Malcolm and Barbara: It rumbles on

Now Michael Grade’s released a statement. Read more

Malcolm and Barbara statement

The push for probity in broadcasting continues… Read more

Beak practice

My mind is boggling about the upcoming CITV show, Emu (“The eponymous puppet with a penchant for pecking”, says the wonderfully written press release). It’s to hit screens in October and – get this – “is essentially ‘Emu the early years’ with a flapping fresh, young and brilliant blue Emu taking centre stage.” Better yet, Toby Hull is going to be playing a young version of his dad Rod! Read more

Our Little Swampduck

Coronation Street from me again, then (it remains my only TV obsession when HIGNFY isn’t on… ) and the sad news that Liz Dawn is leaving her role as Vera Duckworth after 33 years due to ill health. Read more

“Kevin… fire!”

I love Sally Webster, and I’m sure the greatly talented but hugely unnoticed Sally Whittaker is equally as loveable. The celebrations of her 40th birthday in – where else? – the Rovers Return marked a significant moment in the lifespan of one of British soap’s most consistent residents. She is one of Coronation Street‘s must-sees. Read more

Tycoon

Justin’s in the back of Peter Jones’ limo. “I’m now the boss of Tycoon Towers,” he says, in that nervy lilt. “Yeah, feeling on top of the world. I’m really excited about the challenge. So, bring it on … Elizabeth’s going to be a pain in the arse, though”. Read more

Punctuationism

Nice of ITV1 to show Die Hard the other night, a film I never get tired of seeing (and, considering I haven’t been to a cinema since a date with Sue Cain to watch Kingpin in 1996, that’s saying something), under the Action Heroes motif. Read more

Peter misses!

From Broadcast: “ITV1′s struggling business-reality show Tycoon has been pulled from its 9pm slot on a Tuesday night. It will return on Monday 9 July at 10pm as a 30-minute format. Tough Gig has also been pulled.”

The best bit about last night’s Tycoon…

…Peter Jones, in the back of his limo, fist clenched in glee, declaring: “Peter scores!”

The next Millionaire, Link, Deal or no Deal?

With the news that Who Wants to be a Millionaire? is going to be scrapped, plus Deal or No Deal having recently celebrated its 500th show, I accidentally tuned into ITV’s new daytime quiz show Goldenballs and found myself watching what may well be the next big quiz show. Read more

The ex-ex X Factor judge

Here’s a turn up. Just released by ITV’s press office… Read more

“Do you want to Fruka?”

Sadly, knee-deep in various Other Commitments [shudder!], I don’t have the time to write a properly-thought-out-with-actual-arguments-and-that review of last night’s Tycoon, but I feel I must share some thoughts about this first effort from Peter Jones’ production company… starring Peter Jones. Read more

“John Gorman, you’re still alive!”

This morning I’ve been on the phone to Lenny Henry, who’s promoting his new show, Lenny’s Britain, which comes to BBC1 on Thursday 14 June. Obviously, I took a moment to talk about ITV1′s upcoming (and now rather delayed) Tiswas Reunited. Here’s what he had to say… Read more

“Pop impresario and X-Factor judge…”

“… Simon Cowell, this is your life!” Read more

I don’t believe it!

High Stakes, along with Believe Nothing and Hardware, was part of ITV’s attempt at re-establishing their Sunday night “edgy comedy” slot a couple of years back. Starring Richard Wilson and written by Tony Sarchet (This Is David Lander), this highbrow sitcom set in the financial world was not quite in the same league as its more celebrated ’80s counterparts, and suffered from some unrealistic and overblown pre-transmission publicity, but it was a likeable enough effort and it came as some surprise when the muted response to the first run led to the already-recorded second being shelved and eventually never transmitted. Read more

The Dermot factor

I like Dermot O’Leary on telly – I think he’s a gifted TV presenter. But I can’t really see him doing big old L.E. bollocks of a Saturday night.  Read more

“Your perm wasn’t that bad…”

Tracy Barlow’s trial is about to start on Coronation Street and so, in final preparation for an event on which the soap is pinning so much hope, we got a rare beast for the Street tonight – a two-hander. Read more

Thy Kingdom come

I met Stephen Fry yesterday. Read more

This is what they want!

Sorry to just fling up press releases on here, but this one is terribly exciting… Although, I don’t know what that lowercase “i” is all about. Read more

Pokerface

Having now watched the second series of Pokerface through to its much-trumpeted million pound final, I have decided it’s been the most intriguing game show I’ve seen in a very long time. Since five’s The Mole, probably. Read more

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