Channel 5

The following article contains spoilers about episodes of Home & Away which will air between January 28th and February 1st…

So if you don’t want to know what’s in store for the Summer Bay residents, don’t read on!

If you do want to know, click on ‘Continue reading…’ Continue reading »

It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here!

Or at least, it will be in a few hours…

Yes sports fans, Celebrity Big Brother is back tonight on Channel 5 with a two-hour long launch show that airs as of 9pm, and as ever, there are twists and rule changes that are set to leave the 12 new housemates reeling!

And we can reveal that the very first twist begins tonight, when six of the housemates will start their CBB experience by moving into a purpose built Basement, which, as they’ll discover, is hellish…

With dirty mattresses to sleep on and only the most basic of rations, the unlucky six will no doubt be very envious of their peers who’ll get to enjoy all the luxuries of the ice hotel themed house.

Those luxuries include furs – faux one assumes – everywhere as well as a heated pool, a snug igloo and comfy beds… Continue reading »

Culture secretary Maria Miller has confirmed that both ITV and Channel 5 will have their licences renewed as expected after their current agreements expire in 2014.

But Miller warned that both broadcasters that they may be expected to up their public service broadcasting commitment to news and current affairs and original programming.

She said that both will need to at least “maintain, or even increase, the current level of public service requirements, such as the amount of news or original content”.

Miller said: “Renewing the licences for Channel 3 [ITV] and 5 will enable us to secure a strong and diverse future for public service broadcasting. Continue reading »

It’s been reported today that former Deputy Prime Minister Lord John Prescott has signed up for the next series of Celebrity Big Brother, which will air on Channel 5 in the New Year.

Apparently, the show’s bosses reckon landing Prescott is a real coup, and they think he’ll be a huge hit with viewers.

Prescott has of course always been a controversial figure in the world of politics, having once attacked a protester who threw an egg at him, and having had a two-year long affair with his diary secretary Tracey Temple.

He’s also no stranger to reality TV, having recently taken to Twitter to lambaste Gary Barlow for a comment he made on X Factor about the now former finalist Ella Henderson when she danced during a performance.

Prescott wrote, “Barlow out of order there with Ella Henderson.

“Brilliant dancing and what a voice!’’

Of him going into the CBB house, a show insider told the Daily Star, “Celebrity Big Brother would be the perfect platform for Lord Prescott to get his opinions across to the public on his terms… Continue reading »

Channel 5 has appointed Ben Frow as their new director of programmes.

Frow will return to Channel 5, where he was a controller of features and entertainment previously, from Irish broadcaster TV3 where he is currently director of programming.

He will begin with Channel 5 in his new role in February next year.

When at Channel 5 previously, he helped develop the likes of The Diet Doctors, The Hotel Inspector, The Farm and The Joan Rivers Position between 2004 and 2007. Continue reading »

The stars of the revamped US soap Dallas hit the London scene earlier this week to mark the arrival of the series to UK screens next month.

The new series sees the return of former stars Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray, with Larry Hagman reprising his role as JR Ewing.

I am so excited I may need to wear incontinence underwear for the rest of the day because tonight, at 9pm – in a whopping two hour long launch show then a thirty minute live feed from the house before BOTS at 11:30pm – the second of this year’s Celebrity Big Brother begins…

And we have a heads up on who is rumoured to be going into the house, as well as a couple of teaser promo clips and details about the new facilities that the Celeb housemates will enjoy in the revamped house.

So, first and foremost, there are to be either 12 or 13 housemates going in – media reports differ – and within minutes of their arrival, they’re going to be given their first task. And though everyone at Channel 5 is keeping the details of the task firmly under wraps, it’s believed to be something to do with the first eviction, which is this Friday.

A small gym has been added to the house for the fitness conscious celebs, and all cameras have been removed from the bathrooms and toilets… Continue reading »

Today is Day 65 in the Big Brother house, and it’s been a sedate one, with not a great deal happening…

But there, the housemates are winding down now before the final, which will of course be fraught with excitement and angst.

However, talk today turned to dogs, of the four legged kind, which was a conversation that Ashleigh kicked off by revealing that she was missing her canine companions.

She also mentioned that when – or if, and it’s a big if if you ask me – she and Luke S move in together, she wants several dogs to keep them company.

Sara added that she wants to get a big dog, but she’d really like a Pomeranian, which is – in her words – “a small dog.” Erm, righeo. But whatever size her dog, she wants to call her Luella. Super… Continue reading »

Yesterday, the Big Brother housemates were given a shopping task, but to be honest, it was more to give the HMs something to do – and BB something to film – than to buy shopping, because of course, it’s the last few days now, so nobody really cared much about the outcome!

However, in brief, five of the housemates had to become museum exhibits – that is, they had to strike a pose on a podium and keep the pose without moving or speaking – while two became the security guards who would report on any movement etc.

Sara and Scott were appointed guards, so Luke A, Adam, Deana, Ashleigh and Luke S were exhibits.

But what Scott and Sara didn’t know is that each time they left the ‘museum’ having inspected the exhibits, BB froze the cameras so to Scott and Sara, who were watching on a monitor in the garden, the exhibits did an amazing job of keeping still! Continue reading »

Person of Interest is an American crime drama that will be coming to our screens next week.

The very synopsis looks like something that we would like but is it worth the commitment?

Well, it has already been picked up for a second season in the US and its credentials are certainly something.

The screenplay is written by J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan; a very fine pairing whose work we already love.  Abrams is the brains behind two of my favourite TV shows, Alias and Lost, while he was also behind the fantastic Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol of last year.  Nolan on the other hand, is if you hadn’t already guessed, the brother of Batman supremo Christopher Nolan and he’s got brains to boot too.  His short story was used by his brother for the highly acclaimed Memento while he also worked on the screen play for The Prestige and of course, who could forget, co-wrote the greatest and most financially successful Batman movie of all time, The Dark Knight.

Add to the talent behind the scenes, the great cast which includes Jim Caviezel who we loved in The Count of Monte Cristo and the fantastic Michael Emerson who was of course, Benjamin Linus in Lost, it definitely looks like one to watch.

We were lucky enough to watch the pilot so here’s what we thought of Person of Interest.

SPOILERS>>> Continue reading »