Blue Peter have confirmed that the show’s dog, Mabel, will be leaving the show after 14 years. We’ve been lucky enough to grab an interview with her. Producers announced today that the long-running children’s programme would be parting ways with their veteran Border Collie Cross dog when she retires on March 30th.

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We here at TV Scoop like Jon Ronson a lot. If you’ve never watched any of his stuff before, he makes documentaries in a similar way to Louis Theroux. That means odd, left-of-centre subject matter, all tackled with a quiet, hands-on and considered knack of getting the most out of the nutcases people at the heart of each project. Jon’s latest documentary for Channel 4 is How To Find God (Sunday 28 June) and sees him gain unprecedented access to Alpha – the religious course and global phenomenon that sets out to help ‘convert’ agnostics everywhere. It’ll be interesting, that’s for sure. Read on for Jon’s words…

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When I was asked whether I’d like to interview Rachel Zoe, I was, like, so excited. I wasn’t that excited actually, but even with my limited knowledge of the fashion industry I knew that she was a big name, so it was a deffo yes. A quick wiki later and I found out that Rachel is a superstar stylist to the stars, who was reponsible for helping the likes Mischa Barton and loads of other starlets rock the vintage/boho look. However… for every good report, there seems to be a bad one for Rachel – fans love her style and chic, others place her at the centre of the size zero/super skinny debate. Whatever your opinion, Rachel’s life is a whirl of social events, glamour, expensive clothes and stress. Lots of stress. How do I know that? Because she’s starring in a fly-on-the-wall documentary series. Equal parts annoying, intentionally and unintentionally hilarious and addictive viewing, The Rachel Zoe Project starts on recently rebranded UKTV channel Really tonight (Tuesday 19 May) at 11pm.

For all our showbiz star interviews, go here.

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A few weeks ago I went along to Channel 4 to see a screening of Hollywood actress Samantha Morton’s directorial debut, The Unloved. The jewel in the channel’s Britain’s Forgotten Children season, The Unloved tells the story of 11-year-old Lucy and her life in and out of care. Molly Windsor, who plays Lucy, is truly astonishingly good, and there’s Robert Carlyle in there too. It’s pretty powerful stuff and, in my opinion, an absolute must-watch. In the Q&A after the screening, Samantha was so passionate and emotional (it was the first time she had seen the completed film) and explained that its semi autobiographical nature made it a sometimes tough job. But here it is, and here are Sam’s words after the jump. The Unloved is on Channel 4 this Sunday (17 May) at 9pm.

Related: First Look: The Unloved

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On Wednesday I went along to the Fawlty Towers: Re-opened press launch, which saw G.O.L.D. introduce its new 30th anniversary shows to the world’s media. It was exciting. The aforementioned first show is on this Sunday (10 May, 9pm) and sees the cast and crew (including Connie Booth, in her first onscreen interview for three decades) reminisce about Fawlty Tower’s history and their favourite moments from the two series. Stephen Fry narrates. I’ve already posted up interviews with Andrew Sachs and Prunella Scales, but here’s what John Cleese had to say about it all. Your bona fide ledge he may be, but he can sure talk for England… you’re in for a long, but interesting read. The most interesting comments? Fawlty Towers almost never made it off the ground, he thinks modern comedy isn’t as good as your old comedy, and he loves Only Fools And Horses and Last Of The Summer Wine.

Related: TV Scoop interview: Andrew Sachs

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Yesterday I went along to the press confo for Fawlty Towers: Re-opened, which features cast and crew celebrating the show’s 30th anniversary. One thing I forgot to mention was that Stephen Fry is narrating, which is always nice. Anyway, it’s on G.O.L.D. this Sunday (10 May, 9pm) and should be good stuff. I’ve already posted up the round table interview with Andrew Sachs (see link below) and now it’s the turn of the marvellous and really lovely Prunella Scales. John Cleese tomorrow. Words after the jump.

Related: TV Scoop interview: Andrew Sachs

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I had the pleasure of going along to G.O.L.D.’s Fawlty Towers: Re-opened launch this morning. The show, on this Sunday (10 May, 9pm), celebrates the legendary sitcom’s 30th birthday by gathering together cast and crew (including, for the first time in 30 years, Connie Booth) to relive their memories and trace the history of the show. Should be good. At today’s launch there was all cast members, and I got to sit in on some of the round table interviews afterwards with Andrew Sachs, Prunella Scales and John Cleese. I’ll stick up Prunella’s interview tomorrow and John’s on Friday, but today here’s Andrew Sachs, talking about the role that made him a star and loved by millions.

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I have to admit that I was a teeny bit nervous before I spoke to David Starkey, the man behind so many top quality historical programmes. I have enjoyed his shows very much, and his serious but accessible tone helps to bring so many iconic figures of our history to life. It’s his appearances on Question Time and other shows of that ilk that have made me slightly nervous. It’s obvious that he doesn’t suffer fools gladly and he’s a bit of pitbull when he wants to be, so I was worried that my flimsy questions would provoke a massive spurt of ire. Not a bit of it. Don’t know what I was worried about. What a lovely, funny man. I don’t agree with some of the things he has said on telly in the past, but I really enjoyed the interview. Have a look after the jump to read the words that came out of his mouth, and, exclusively (I think), what he’s going to do next.

All of our TV interviews are right here.

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Last week, Mof interviewed arch satirist and top media man Charlie Brooker. You can’t get more on the pulse than that. This week it’s ex-Blue Peter man Matt Baker, who isn’t known for his rapier satire and media commentary. I chatted to Matt a few weeks ago because he’s part of the new presenting team on Countryfile – the stalwart farming magazine programme that’s moving to a new, primetime slot this weekend. I realise this isn’t rock n’ roll or hip or trendy, andCountryfile is the anti-Wire, but it is important for many around the country. The countryside may conjure images of ruddy-faced men chewing straw, wearing too-tight woollen tank tops and drinking toxic homemade cider from demijohns, but the countryside is a marvellous place. Or at least it can be. Read the words that came out of Matt Baker’s mouth after the jump…

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Interviewing Charlie Brooker could be a daunting task. I mean, he’s a hero to many. He’s one of my favourite writers. However, somewhere in my synapses, I’d convinced myself along the way that we’d get along just fine. If you peer through the acerbic slights in Brooker’s work, I always got the impression he was a really nice bloke… an approachable chap… the kind I’d get on with just fine. I imagine that I’m not alone in that feeling. So was he nice? Is he a really funny bloke? Is he as self deprecating as we all thought? Or is he a black hearted media bastard? In preparation for his new show, Newswipe with Charlie Brooker (tonight, BBC Four, 10.35pm), I set about finding out…

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Along with The Wire’s Dominic West, Jamie Bamber formed part of the new wave of British actors doing well in the US. His part as Apollo Adama in landmark sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica earned him plaudits galore. Now he’s back playing cop Matt Devlin in ITV1′s brand new Law & Order: UK (Monday 23 February, 9pm). I managed to meet him a while back and he was a very nice, eloquent young man. Read what he says about the show, as well as some interesting stuff about US telly, after the jump.

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Most people remember Thomas Craig as Tommy Harris in Coronation Street (he’s also appeared in Where The Heart Is too), and now Thomas pops up in Canadian-set period crime drama Murdoch Mysteries, whose second series starts tomorrow night on Alibi (Tuesday, 10 February, 9pm). He plays Chief Inspector Brackenreid, a mardy copper in Victorian Toronto, who’s at odds with one of his star detectives, William Murdoch. Murdoch likes to use fledgling forensic techniques, while Brackenreid prefers an older fashioned approach to his crime solving. Read what he has to say after the jump.

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