On awful televisionEvery once in a while, a television programme comes along that is so bad it sets the standard for dreadful entertainment.For years, Eldorado was this yard-stick.Then, in quick succession the title was taken by the ridiculous Bonekickers ("What do we do now?" "We dig") and the embarassing Britannia High ("Don't be a wannabe, be who you want to be"), but now, a new king is in town: ITV's Saturday night family drama Demons.It was meant to be a vaguely scary supernatural thriller. A sort of Doctor Who-meets-Buffy that would have little kids hiding behind the sofa along with their parents. I haven't laughed so much in my life.God. Where do I start?- The writing features just about every cliche on the planet ("Im getting too old for this", "Showtime!", "I've got a bad feeling...
ITV and Channel 4 should consider pulling out of Project Kangaroo because it will cost them £30m next year, a report says.The broadcasters need to focus on riding out the immediate economic downturn, the report by Enders Analysis argues.It estimates that Project Kangaroo has already cost its joint venture partners BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 more than £25m in staff costs, development and online programme rights.The online TV joint venture will cost ITV and Channel 4 up to £15m each next year, it estimates.Enders argues that the project's delayed launch, the economic downturn hitting online ad revenue and the serious financial issues facing public service broadcasters (PSBs) mean that ITV and Channel 4 should consider pulling out."The market for internet video advertising, on which...
Follow the ups and downs of a controversial season of Strictly Come Dancing - from John Sergeant's decision to quit gripping the nation to the sem-final voting......
Got some time on your hands now you're winding down to Christmas at your PC? Why not have a look at Coronation Street during 2008 in blog posts. (Canadian viewers you're approx. 9 months behind the UK as far as storyline goes).Click on the months below to reveal what was blogged, about who, their wherefores and and whatnots. There are weekly updates, monthly round-ups, Corrie writer profiles and the most quirky and original Coronation Street blog posts anywhere on t'inturnet.January, February, MarchApril, May, JuneJuly, August, SeptemberOctober, November,...
News in from the official Corrie site today is that two teenagers are joining the Coronation Street cast. Actors Lucien Laviscount and Sacha Parkinson will play Sophie Webster's new mates Ben and Sian.Wonder if these new additions have got anything to do with the Sophie Webster pregnancy...
Sunday morning, 9am, at the London offices of music svengali Simon Cowell, and the X Factor team was delirious. It was not just the lack of sleep, it was the fact that the public chose a good winner. Twelve million watched the final on Saturday night, an astonishing 8 million voted, and Alexandra Burke duly won. Burke, they say, has not only got the X-factor, she's got the L-factor. Cowell believes the soul singer will go on to be as big as The X Factor's one true superstar, Leona Lewis.The X Factor is the show that makes stars of unknowns. It also makes millions for Cowell when the public gets it right. Often the public gets it wrong - last year's winner, Leon Jackson, humiliatingly charted at No 3 with his latest single, behind Peter Kay's X Factor satirical sideswipe, The Winner's...
The planning stage was a nightmare, actually doing the delivery seemed like a sort of bizarre punishment but the end result did make us all feel good - yesterday and today, teams have been out delivering across the City in Thorpe Hamlet, Lakenham, Bowthorpe, Earlham, Eaton, Wensum, Mancroft and Nelson. Amazing level of activity in the constituency at the moment and I really do have to thank all those who are really making politics interesting in Norwich South at the moment. The thing that distinguishes this campaign from the last is the sheer number of people getting involved - without them, politics and the democratic process wouldn't work. I extend this thanks to all those across the political divide who give up cold weekends for political activity.Today we also found time to go...
If it hadn't ended in tears something would have been seriously wrong. Last night, after months of hoping and praying, an awful lot of singing and a fair amount of crying from both judges and contestants, Alexandra Burke was crowned the latest winner of X FactorAs the announcement was made, the winner was too choked to speak for several minutes. In her final victory performance, singing Leonard Cohen's world-weary anthem 'Hallelujah', she broke down once again, only to recover for a rousing finish. She went on to thank her fans for 'making my dreams come true'. 'I have everything to thank you for. In my bones, I thank you,' she said. Tensions that had been simmering between the judges during the contest were put to one side as the panel of four rose to their feet in tribute to a soulful...
It's a very special Christmas Steve McDonald gurn this week. For previous gurns from Coronation Street's Stevie Mc, have a look...
The BBC has proposed a range of partnerships with other public service broadcasters, including sharing iPlayer technology and developing a new internet-enabled digital TV set-top box. By Leigh......
Hello folks and welcome to another weekly update. This week the update’s been making a list and next week it’ll check it twice. It’s time to open door number two on the weekly update advent calendar and let’s see who we’ve got. Ooh, lovely and yum, it’s Tom Selleck. And so, without any further ado, here we go with this week’s Coronation Street update.This week the Windasses moved into Coronation Street. They’re the Battersby’s all over again, so much so that I’m calling them the Windasserby’s. They’re thick, ignorant, violent and noisy and move in next door to the Platts. What’ll it be like living next door to a family of violent thugs with criminal records? The Windasses will soon find out.The big event of the week was Carla Connor’s wedding, taking up two...
Here she is, Coronation Street's new barmaid at the Rovers Return.But who is she? Click here to find...
She's been voted Miss Soap Boobs and so it seems only fitting that Rosie Webster's cleavage is going to make the local paper. Yes, the harlot of Coronation Street is going to sell saucy pics of herself to the Weatherfield Gazette, says The Daily Star.See also: Is Rosie Webster the Street's biggest...
Darts legend Phil "The Power" Taylor is turning up in Coronation Street early in 2009 to play the part of darts player Disco Dave, says The Sun.Phil said: “It's an honour. My whole family are huge Corrie fans and I’ve always fancied a game of darts in the Rovers, especially against Kevin. I usually clear my diary in the run up to the World Championships but I made an exception for this. I’ll use the experience as a warm-up for the tournament.”A Coronation Street spokesperson said: “When we heard that Phil was a fan of the show and would love a walk-on part we knew he would be perfect as Disco...
Some really sad news reported in The Mirror this week as Betty Driver's younger sister Freda has died after a long illness. This explains why Betty hasn't been seen on Coronation Street for a while.An ITV source said: "Betty will be heartbroken at losing Freda. She will be welcomed back when she returns because it is fair to say she is one of the loveliest and most popular cast...
Missed Corrie and want to catch up on events from the cobbles last month? There's a quick and easy, fun monthly catch up of Coronation Street over at the Union Jack website.For November's update click here and there's an archive of previous month's updates on the site...
Oliver Postgate, the creator and narrator of Bagpuss, The Clangers and a series of other classic children's television programmes, has died at the age of 83.His creations, which also included Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine and Pingwings, were screened on the BBC and ITV from the 1950s.He narrated all of his productions in a calm warm voice that will be familiar to millions.Postgate's animations were made by Smallfilms, the company he set up with the artist and puppeteer Peter Firmin. Although only 13 episodes of Bagpuss were made from 1974, the pink "saggy, old, cloth cat" remains fondly remembered. It was voted Britain's best-loved children's television character.Postgate's partner, Naomi Linnell, confirmed he died at a nursing home near his home in Broadstairs, Kent, yesterday.Born in...
The official statement on Kym Marsh's pregnancy is that the baby is due early next summer, 2009.Kym will continue to play Michelle Connor in Coronation Street throughout her pregnancy and will take maternity leave in early summer.She is the eighth cast member from Corrie to make a baby announcement in the past year. Julia Haworth (Claire Peacock), Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw) and Andy Whyment (Kirk Sutherland) have all become parents in the last six months. Alison King (Carla Connor), Wanda Opalinska (Vicky Dankowski), Jane Danson (Leanne Battersby) and Jack Shepherd (David Platt) are all expecting babies early next...
Coronation Street bosses are on the hunt for an actor to play Sophie Webster's boyfriend, says The Sun. By 'eck, I hope Kevin doesn't do him any damage if it's true that Sophie becomes pregnant in the New...
Steve McDonald's twin brother Andy was played by actor Nick Cochrane. Nick's poured his heart out to the Sunday People and confesses he's lost a small fortune on an ill-fated soaps magazine since he left Coronation Street.You can read the full interview...
Without any piffle, here's the storyline for the week ahead on Coronation Street, all wrapped up in 50 words or less.Week of Sunday 7 to Friday 12 December, 2008(Note: extra episode of Corrie on Sunday 7 at 7.30pm)Molly uncovers Tyrone’s lies, Carla and Tony return to Maria’s accusations, the Windass clan move in, Janice finds out Emily’s no soft touch, Norris gets narked by Jed, Steve steps up operation bad boyfriend and Eileen’s dad arrives and charms Rita.The full weekly preview, with pictures, is right here on Corrie.netMissed last week's Corrie? Catch up here with a fun round-up...
Here's a quick and easy review of the year in Coronation Street which was put together for a podcast for the Soap Show which will be going live any day now. If your favourite storyline's been left out, do let me know and I'll add it.JanuaryTina McIntyre arrived; Sarah Grimshaw left; Vera Duckworth died; Liam fell down hill in Lake District, woke up and asked for Carla; Michelle found out Ryan not her real son; Kev sent to jail for a month for beating up John StapeFebruaryViolet gives birth to Sean’s son - the first baby born in Rovers bar; Becky and Jason got together; Liam and Maria wed; Roy went to Africa to be with Hayley; Rovers Return got revampedMarchViolet and Jamie leave with baby, Sean distraught - first time Street is Baldwin-free in decades; Victoria Court flats start being...
As Coronation Street's Clarissa Mason, actress Alexandra Boyd played the feisty redhead and wife-done-wrong to perfection. And since leaving the Street, Alexandra has been shooting a movie with John Travolta called From Paris With Love. It's an action movie produced by Luc Besson and Alexandra plays a VIP American Chief of Delegation who has her life saved by Mr Travolta himself. The picture above is a still from the new movie, with Alexandra in the middle, and the movie will be in cinemas early 2009.See also: Clarissa Morton, Coronation Street's new fashion...
The reviews haven't all been kind, but Coronation Street's Out of Africa DVD is the number one best-selling DVD for TV drama.Steve Gallant, director of home entertainment and digital at ITV Global Entertainment said: “Coronation Street is the UK’s most consistently successful drama since broadcast began - and working in collaboration with ITV Studios we’re thrilled to have produced a show which is clearly delighting new and existing fans."Have you seen it? Were you as delighted as Mr Gallant hopes?See also: Coronation Street's Out of Africa falls out of...
This week's Steve McDonald gurn is a Corrie retro gurn, sent in to the blog by Canadian fan Diane. Clearly showing signs of Coronation Street gurn-ism back in 1995, Steve McGurn was captured here in a scene where he was arrested for possessing stolen whisky on Christmas Day.Want to see more Steve McDonald gurns? Have a look here.See also: The sensational Steve...
A couple of days back we had a look at Norman Lamont joining the board of Phorm, the shady internet advertising firm that pervs over your personal data to better target advertising towards you. Another joinee is Kip Meek, who isn’t a 50s cartoon but in fact one of the founders of Ofcom, the regulatory body for television and radio. Yes, he’s gone from addressing abuses to society to creating them. At least he’s used to having enormous numbers of public complaints!
Kip doesn’t work for Ofcom any more, but as Chairman of Ingenious Consulting, the consultancy arm of a company that also provides investment, venture capital and asset management to the media, telecoms and creative industries. Basically his guys go in and make everything better, in exchange for money. So...
In
licence fee,
Five,
broadcaster,
Public Service Broadcasting,
Greg Dyke,
spectrum,
Phorm,
Social Market Foundation,
bad idea,
brave new world,
PSB,
uk financial blog,
UK financial crisis blog,
"Public Service Broadcasting in the United Kingdom: A,
Ingenious Consulting,
Kip Meek,
privatised,
ofcom,
BBC,
channel 4,
ITV
Coronation Street fan Steven Casey is auctioning off loads of excellent Corrie stuff on eBay for charity and emailed in to share this on the blog with other Corrie fans. The items are for sale to raise research funding for Motor Neurone Disease.Items up for grabs include a top worn by Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) with an ITV Certificate Of Authenticty, a 64 page signed rehearsal script and 50 signed photocards.If you'd like to bid for this great auction lot, have a look here on...
Greetings and welcome, dear update readers. We’re here again at the beginning of December and as is now tradition in the weekly update office, we’ve whipped out the Corrie weekly updates advent calendar. So let’s sneak a peek at what’s behind the first door, shall we? Sadly, it’s Teddy Sheringham, again. Normally I’d come over all peculiar at the sight of Teddy in the calendar, as regular readers will know. But he’s looking a bit the worse for wear this year as I couldn’t afford a new calendar and this year, Teddy’s Christmas balls have lost their sheen. And so without any further ado, here we go with this week’s Coronation Street update.This was the week when Carla Connor returned from el-ay, which is Los Angeles. If she’d been to Liverpool, it would’ve been...
Aah, isn't he sweet? As Tyrone and Molly's wedding day looms, I thought it'd be fun to take a look back at some of Tyrone's early photos from his time on Coronation Street.There's a picture of Molly in her wedding dress...
There's a wonderful gallery of Coronation Street wedding pictures on the Sky TV website, inlcuding this wedding pic when Steve McDonald wed Vicky Arden. Have a look at the whole lot right...
