EastEnders won the annual Christmas ratings battle, with 9.9 million viewers.
The BBC soap’s festive edition – which featured downtrodden wife Zainab Khan finally standing up to her husband, Yusuf, and the revelation Phil Mitchell is being stalked by his own son, Ben – beat competition from Coronation Street and period drama Downton Abbey to claim the top ratings on Christmas day (25.12.11).
ITV’s Coronation Street had an average viewing figure of 9.3 million to take second place, followed by the Doctor Who Christmas special which claimed 8.9 million viewers.
Downton Abbey – widely expected to be the top rated programme on December 25 – slipped into fourth with 8.9 million viewers.
EastEnders’ ratings grabbing festive scheduling is not over and viewers will see another storyline climax over New Year when matriarch Pat Evans – played by Pam St. Clement – bows out of the show after 25 years as her character.
While Pat has been seen bedridden on the show, it is a closely guarded secret how she will finally exit the soap.
Speaking about her exit, Pam has said: “Leaving the EastEnders’ family will be akin to a bereavement.
“But I’m looking forward to the other work and life opportunities I will now have the time to pursue.”
Top 10 shows on Christmas Day, based on average audience
1. EastEnders, BBC One (9.9 million)
2. Coronation Street, ITV1 (9.0 million)
3. Doctor Who, BBC One (8.9 million)
4. Downton Abbey, ITV1 (8.1 million)
5. Strictly Come Dancing, BBC One (7.5 million)
6. Absolutely Fabulous, BBC One (7.4 million)
7. The Gruffalo’s Child, BBC One (6.5 million)
8. Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Comedy Roadshow, BBC One (6.4 million)
EastEnders’ Billy Mitchell is to carry the Olympic torch on the BBC One soap. The hapless video shop worker – played by Perry Fenwick – will find out on tonight’s (15.11.11) show that he has been successful in his application to carry the flame for the London 2012 games in a storyline that will see the soap merge with reality.
On July 23 next year, live footage will show Billy carrying the flame through the fictional London borough of Walford – on its way to the real Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, for the opening ceremony of the summer games on July 27.
Perry said: “When we first discussed the storyline, my initial thought was that I’ll now have to get fit.
“While this may be a fictional one-off for Billy Mitchell, it’s a real once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I am thrilled that Walford and Albert Square will be part of this amazing event.”
Perry, 49, will be one of 8,000 people from the UK to carry the iconic torch, as it crosses all over the country, visiting over 1,000 cities, towns and villages in the UK, starting on May 19, 2012 at Land’s End in Cornwall.
Sebastian Coe, chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said: “The announcement is a great addition to the Olympic Torch Relay Route. I’m sure the people of Walford will now start planning their celebrations.
“Along with people right round the UK, the residents of Albert Square will be getting involved to make this their moment to shine.”
Russell Grant could be forced to quit Strictly Come Dancing because of his knee injury.
The astrologer – who has become the fans’ favourite on the BBC One show – has been told by doctors he should undergo keyhole surgery to repair the tear in his knee lining. However, if he does, it could see him out of action for a month and show rules state that celebrities are only allowed one week out of the contest if they are ill or injured, meaning he would have to leave the competition altogether.
But if Russell, 60, continues to dance without the operation, his problem with his knee could invalidate the show’s insurance and he would have to leave anyway. An insider told The Sun newspaper: “Russell is really in two minds about what to do. He spent a whole day yesterday without any problems at all. His knee seems to be getting better thanks to the care and attention of the physios he has been seeing and the anti-inflammatory medication he’s taking.
“Russell is a huge reason why Strictly is doing so well in the ratings at the moment.”
Meanwhile, Audley Harrison’s wife reportedly had a huge row with his dance partner Natalie Lowe. The boxer was in the bottom two this week and his spouse Raychel – who had flown from the couple’s home in Los Angeles – blamed the Australian beauty for his jive getting such low marks.
A source said: “Raychel was furious that she had come all this way to watch Audley and he was in the bottom two. She blamed Natalie’s choreography and had a stand-up row. Those who saw it were amazed. Natalie was pretty gobsmacked by it all.”
Tom Jones is in talks to join the judging panel of BBC One’s The Voice UK. The Welsh singer will reportedly team up with Jessie J and two other as-yet-unconfirmed celebrity coaches for the British version of the US TV singing competition – which sees hopefuls perform for the judges without them seeing their face – and show bosses are hoping he will attract older viewers.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “Tom is close to committing. He has almost 50 years experience in music so he’ll be able to give contestants decent advice.
“Jessie J will attract younger viewers but Tom’s bound to be the housewives’ favourite.”
Reports of Tom’s participation in the show come just weeks after ‘Price Tag’ singer Jessie was announced as the first judge.
She said: “I’m excited to be a coach, inspiration and mentor and I jumped at the opportunity as it’s all about ‘The Voice’.”
Jessie also took to her twitter page, writing: “So its OFFICIAL I am the first coach for the THE VOICE UK! If you are over 16 and love to sing go to http://www.bbc.co.ukthevoiceuk and apply! #teamjessie #thevoiceuk im so excited #boooyyyaa (sic)”
BBC One controller Danny Cohen added: “Jessie J is going to be an amazing coach on ‘The Voice UK’. She’s a massive young star with a strong personality, and her recent MOBO nominations are testament to her musical and creative ability.”
Alex Jones is reportedly set to be axed from The One Show. The Welsh presenter has starred as main female host on the BBC One show since Christine Bleakley left in August last year, but sources say bosses are already holding secret auditions with a view to replacing her.
TV chiefs are said to be unconvinced by the chemistry between Alex and current co-host Matt Baker, and ratings are also down on the same period in 2010.
An insider told the Daily Star newspaper: “The bosses are planning a major shake-up soon. Alex joined the show last year and was paired with Jason Manford but then he got involved in a Twitter sex text scandal and had to leave.
“Then she had to co-host with a string of stand-ins before the producers opted for Matt Baker. This latest pairing doesn’t appear to be working out as well people hoped.”
Show chiefs are considering replacing Alex with former presenter of Channel 4′s Big Breakfast and current Total Wipeout co-host Amanda Byram, 37, who was screen tested for the role last year but lost out to Alex.
The One Show has gone from being one of the BBC’s 12 top-rated programmes, regularly commanding over five million viewers when it was presented by Christine and Adrian Chiles, but has now slipped to only making the top 30 most popular shows on the network.
However, a BBC spokesperson has denied the claims.
They said: “Alex Jones has had a brilliant year, there is no question of The One Show wanting to replace her, and they couldn’t be happier with her as their main presenter.
“We can categorically confirm The One Show have not screen-tested anyone for the main presenter roles, nor do they have any plans to.”
Samantha Womack: drained from EastEnders' baby plot
EastEnders’ baby swap storyline has been cleared by TV watchdog Ofcom as “justified”. After the shock plot – which saw disturbed Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) swap her dead son with the body of Kat Moon’s (Jessie Wallace) baby – sparked more than 13,000 complained from distressed viewers, BBC One bosses decided to cut the controversial storyline short.
With the climax brought to an end months earlier than planned, Ofcom ruled the scenes were “not unduly disturbing or graphic”. The report states: “While the storyline was about a sensitive and emotive issue, it is Ofcom’s view that the actual scenes broadcast were not unduly disturbing or graphic.
“Ofcom considered for the regular EastEnders audience, the storyline would not have exceeded their expectations given that the soap is well known for presenting a range of challenging and, at times, controversial issues.”
Meanwhile, regulators ruled the scenes did not suggest Ronnie’s actions were typical of all women suffering from the trauma of cot death, but were spurred on by the various losses she experienced throughout her tragic life.
The report added: “These included her losing the daughter she had been forced to give up for adoption at 14, her desperation to have a baby and the tragedy she had experienced when she had miscarried, and the recent revelation of sexual abuse by her father.
“Whilst the loss of baby James was a catalyst, Ronnie’s reaction was born out of extreme personal trauma in her life and not as the direct and sole consequence of losing her baby.”
Haven’t been able to get tickets for this year’s Glastonbury? Or just don’t fancy all that mud? It’s not quite the same but you can always watch it on the box, courtesy of BBC – the corporation must have all of its staff there pretty much this year.
Coverage of the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset includes U2 on the Pyramid Stage. Unbelievably it’s the first Glastonbury performance of the band’s career. Presented by Jo Whiley, Lauren Laverne, Zane Lowe and Mark Radcliffe. Coverage continues on BBC4.
You can see pictures of people wallowing in the mud at this year’s Glasto below.
Xander Armstrong is to host a rival talent show to Britain’s Got Talent.
Airing on BBC1, Epic Win will see variety acts compete for cash prizes. But unlike the ITV1 show, singers and dancers are banned from taking part.
The BBC has stressed the programme isn’t a talent show for “fame hungry wannabes”, but is mainly about “British eccentrics showcasing unique passions and skills that you couldn’t see anywhere else”
In the show, the judges have to decide how much an act is worth, paying up to £3,000 when the series is aired later this summer.
BBC commissioner Katie Taylor said: “BBC In-house Entertainment is proud to bring the UK’s unsung heroes and their quirky talents to BBC One’s Saturday night audiences in Epic Win.
“What’s not to like about a fishmonger who, when blindfolded, can identify different types of fish whilst being slapped around the face?”
Another new show to be aired on the BBC is The Voice which the corporation spent £20 million buying the UK rights for. It is hoped it will rival ITV1′s The X Factor.
Presenters of the talent show are yet to be announced but former X Factor winner Shayne Ward is said to be in the running to co-host it with Alex Jones.
A source close to Shayne, who was dropped by Simon Cowell’s record company earlier this year, told the Daily Star newspaper: “He’s really nervous about screen testing but he knows this is a massive chance to become something other than a singer.”
Finance expert Liz Locke who was controversially fired during week 10 of the competition last year is backing Tom Pellereau to win this year’s The Apprentice.
The 25-year-old thinks the quirky inventor is “way ahead” of the other candidates vying for the opportunity to set up a new business with multi-millionaire technology mogul Lord Alan Sugar.
She said “I think Tom’s really interesting because he’s had the right ideas throughout the process. He’s not necessarily a great sales person, but this series isn’t about finding a great sales person.
“It’s about finding someone with great ideas and he seems to be so far ahead of everybody else in that respect.”
Liz admitted The Apprentice – which is currently in its seventh series – was in need of a format revamp, but she wishes it had gone further and been even more controversial like its US counterpart.
Speaking at yesterday’s (07.06.11) launch of Virgin Active’s London Triathlon Team, she added: “I do think it needed a format change but if I’m honest, I would have preferred a complete change in terms of the tasks – they could have jazzed it up slightly and gone the whole hog.
“If you’re project manager on the American version of the show and your team wins you get to sit on the panel alongside the equivalent of Karen, Nick and Lord Sugar and help decide who goes. It can turn nasty, but it would definitely give it a little bit more of an edge.”
Matt Smith has signed up to return to Doctor Who as the Timelord in a run which will include 13 episodes and a Christmas special.
BBC One executive Sam Hodges tweeted: “Doctor Who is returning. Fourteen new episodes have been commissioned with Matt Smith as The Doctor.”
Executive producer Steven Moffat added: “14 eps + Matt DEFINITELY. I’ve got a plan and I’m not telling you what it is. Now hush or River shoots you with her Spoiler Gun. (sic)”
The news will come as a welcome relief to fans after the 28-year-old actor – who shot to fame when he replaced David Tennant as the Time Lord – fuelled speculation he wants to leave the show saying he was planning to pursue a Hollywood career and had even set up meetings with movie bosses in Los Angeles.
He said: “I’m going over to Los Angeles this week to dip my head in the pond. I am going to be having loads of meetings with film people and that sort of stuff. I have a lot of ambitions. I would like one day to direct and I just want to keep doing quality work. LA is kinda groovy – I really like it out there … Would I get a big part, who knows? Sadly, that is not up to me. That all depends on people in the American film industry and whether they want to put me there.”
‘EastEnders’ bosses have warned they will slap a lifetime ban on stars who disclose the soap’s secrets.
Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer of the BBC One soap, has reportedly sent an angry memo to the show’s cast and crew after a number of the show’s biggest storylines were revealed to the world before they hit screens.
Leaked to the Daily Mirror newspaper, the letter said: “Confidential information is being passed on. Please be assured that we are working hard with the BBC investigations service to find out who is doing this.
“When we do find out, action will be taken and the persons responsible will never work at the BBC again.”
The warning comes after details of the soap’s explosive baby swap storyline – which saw distraught new mum Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) swap her dead infant with Kat Moon’s (Jessie Wallace) tot – were leaked onto the internet long before being screened on New Year’s Eve (31.12.10).
An ‘EastEnders’ insider added: “The letter makes it clear the bosses are taking no nonsense when it comes to the show’s filming schedule and scenes being given out. A life ban from the BBC seems a very severe punishment but that is what is being threatened so the cast should take note.
“No one has been left exempt from the warning. The senior members of the cast have all been told.”
I love Comic Relief. Every two years in March we get to watch a range of celebrities doing comical stuff to raise money for charity and this year looks set to be no different.
The four stars of the The Inbetweeners have begun paving for this by embarking on a naughty road trip to visit the rudest and crudest place names in the country and we can expect to see some funny antics from the likes of James Cordon as well as singing from faces such as Cheryl Cole.
Stars have already been showing their backing for the cause. Today Christine Bleakly and Adrian Childs showed us what we could buy to sponsor the event and a range of celebrities have taken part in a photoshoot to urge us to don our red noses.
Lara Stone turned all Marylin Monroe on us to help raise awareness re-creating the famous image from 1955 film The Seven Year Itch, while Fearne Cotton, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden to name a few, are also backing the charity campaign, which this year features T-shirts designed by Vivienne Westwood.
We’ll keep you updated with the line up and antics for the big day on 18 March.
I absolutely loved the first trailer released by the BBC for the Extras Christmas special featuring stars such as Clive Owen and George Michael. Now a second has reached the Internet, with Gervais hitting up the five multi-millionaire entrepreneurs that populate the Dragon’s Den to help finance his comedy show. In the spoofy clip, Gervais, nervous like all who enter the Den, makes his business pitch to the listening James Caan, Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Theo Paphitis and Duncan Bannatyne before being suitably interrogated.
As always, Gervais’ main target for comedy is himself with Paphitis labelling him “a short little ego-maniac” while Peter Jones laments his unkempt appearance: “What an untidy messy little git!” When asked why he needs the sought after cash injection, Gervais responds: “Catering, we do go over on the catering budget.” To catch the trailer and whet your appetite for the Extras Christmas extravaganza (it’s not actually billed so exuberantly, I just wanted to use the word extravaganza), click on the link.
Writer Richard Curtis has twice tried to close the chapter on The Vicar of Dibley but the cutesy sitcom refuses to die. Star Dawn French has revealed that the sets for the show have yet to be demolished, a decision by Curtis that has many involved in the production suspicious that Geraldine and co. might make a television return one day. French explains: “He [Curtis] had said that it was definitely, definitely, definitely the end. Then when I heard he asked for the sets to be stored, I thought, ‘He just can’t let go of it.’”
Legendary BBC comedy producer Jon Plowman confirmed that when asked by a crew member whether they could burn the set, a surprised Curtis answered “Not yet.” Plowman adds: “Maybe there’ll come a moment when the nation needs a bit of a cuddle. We’re not saying never”, while Curtis brings hope to all fans of the show: “I keep saying that if Charles becomes King and they want to let us see how Dibley is going to celebrate that occasion, I suppose that, you know, you might come out of retirement.” Sounds promising to me.
Broadcast, the television and radio industry resource, has revealed its winners in this year’s Creative Report with TV Scoop favourite Life on Mars crowned as the most creative show in 2007. The poll, which celebrates the best in British television, covers 16 genres and is based on performance at major industry award ceremonies over the past tear, saw the buddy-cop show total 30 points, beating Planet Earth into second place with 28 points.
Interestingly Granada soap Coronation Street came in third, helping the production company win its category with 76 points. Other shows from its impressive stable included The Street, Longford, The Royle Family: The Queen of Sheba and Granada Reports: Morecambe Bay. Talkback Thames took silver in this group, based on well-received offerings such as The Apprentice, The X Factor and Green Wing.
Here at the Scoop, we’ve already brought you some tasty teaser info on the new series of Armstrong and Miller which starts this Friday. Now, with the comedy duo having left Channel 4 for the Beeb and after a long spell doing solo work, fans will be hoping that the spark is still there. They might only be concentrating on new comic creations, but for those of us who still have a soft spot for the old ones, here’s a look at Jack Force and his good chum, the “imaginary man in a train driver’s hat called Mr. Chuffy.”
Alexander Armstrong will be reunited with comedy partner Ben Miller in a new series of Armstrong and Miller next week, but before then he’s to host another edition of Have I Got News For You. Tonight’s appearance as guest presenter on the panel show will be Armstrong’s tenth, a record for the long-running comedy favourite. But just because he’s done it before, doesn’t mean he’s grown complacent: “It doesn’t get any easier” admits Armstrong.
“It depends what mood team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop are in. Paul can be rather waspish and give you a rough ride. In one show I hosted Paul and comic Ross Noble were determined not to win a single point and they made it very hard work for me. Maybe they’ll be nice to me this time and I think I deserve an award for creating the record.” Award or not, Armstrong has definitely proven himself as the viewer’s favourite guest host since the departure of Angus Deayton. Seems almost a shame that he doesn’t do it every week.
With talk of supermarket giant Tesco sponsoring the Spice Girls reunion tour, Mel B shaking her goods on Dancing with the Stars and Geri and Mel C turning up the PR efforts, it seems there is no avoiding the renaissance of the girl power group. Now, the Spices are to have their very own documentary, Spice Girls: Giving You Everything, screened on BBC1 later in the autumn. The programme, to be directed by Bob Smeaton (The Beatles Anthology), comes courtesy of Simon Fuller’s 19 TV and is a chance for Scary, Ginger, Posh, Baby and Sporty to tell the world the inside scoop on all things spice.
“It will cover the highs and the lows, the laughter and the tears” says Fuller. “From their pre-Spice Girls days and the forming of the group, to the first taste of success, world domination and ultimately the break up and the aftermath.” ITV are said to be jolly miffed that they missed out on the documentary, as it would have ‘spiced up’ their line-up of women-based pop entertainment (Saturday Night Divas, the Kylie special, etc.) Never mind ITV, I’m sure you’ve got plenty of other quality shows to tempt us with, eh?
Spooks is back on our telly boxes tonight and so how to mark the occasion? A re-cap of the character’s histories? A trip down memory lane to remember those Spooks that we have loved and lost? Or a full-on whinge about that bloody awful commercial star Rupert Penry-Jones does for Tesco (Martine McCutcheon I get, the poor lass hasn’t got much on at the moment – but why Rupert why?) Nope, how’s about a top ten of the spookiest things on the TV? From the genuinely scary to the silly – prepare to be spooked!
1. Ghostwatch
Described as a ‘horror-mockumentary television movie’, 1992’s Ghostwatch starred then BBC stalwarts Sarah Greene and Michael Parkinson as they investigated a family whose home was inhabited by a nasty ghost called ‘Pipes’. With Parky in the studio and Greene at the family’s house, the programme became increasingly spooky and unpredictable until Pipes finally gained power and haunted the BBC studios themselves. Now, of course this was all carefully plotted, but such was my gullibility back then, that I was utterly terrified by the whole thing. In my defence, I wasn’t the only one as the BBC were made to defend themselves against accusations of causing post-traumatic stress in children and even triggering the suicide of a teenager with learning difficulties. Of course, I now know it to be the silly hoax it was, but until you’ve witnessed the terror of Parky possessed by a ghost – you can’t judge.
It has been six years since Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller last graced Channel 4 with their comedy sketch show imaginatively entitled The Armstrong and Miller Show (how old that makes me feel), but now the funny duo are back and on the Beeb to boot. In their break from each other, Miller has done some sitcom gigs while voicing the Monkey in the famous PG Tips adverts, while Armstrong has become a seriously good presenter (his Have I Got News For You guest stint is considered one of the best ever.) Now they’re back and they’ve been talking about why they’ve reunited, what we can expect from the new series and how the years have taken their toll.
“You have to tread a fine line with the comedy,” said Alexander. “You don’t want to be that terrible middle-aged person harping back to being 20. But you still want to get that new perspective. The older you are, the fact you’re doing comedy is funny. It’s more undignified. You’ve got further to fall.” Ben agrees: “Yes, it’s much more undignified for men our age to be lumping around in silly outfits and wigs. I just think it’s funny.”
EastEnders won the annual Christmas ratings battle, with 9.9 million viewers.
Matt Smith has signed up to return to Doctor Who as the Timelord in a run which will include 13 episodes and a Christmas special.
From:Set The Video: NASA: Triumph and Tragedy, BBC Two, Wednesday, 24 June, 9pm