BB FANS

60 SECONDS: Richard Fleeshman

Richard Fleeshman wowed soap fans across the nation thanks to his standout turn as grumpy goth Craig in Coronation Street. He then won ITV1's Soapstar Superstar and now he's reincarnated himself as a singer/songwriter extraordinaire. Richard's debut single, Coming Down, is out today and his album, Neon, is out next week.

What are your favourite bands?
I’ve been influenced by a lot of US blues and rock artists. I listen to everything – there’s no point limiting yourself because you might be missing out on something good. The last thing I got into was the album by Justin Currie who used to lead Del Amitri.

You’re only a youngster. Isn’t that music a bit old for you?
I’ll have that on, then the Arctic Monkeys. I could be into something else tomorrow, that’s just a recent favourite. I’ll listen to anything, as long as it’s well made.

Have you always been a musical prodigy?
People know me as an actor, but I’ve wanted to be a musician for as long as I can remember. Acting was a sideline which became the main thing. The difficult part now is explaining to people that my heart was always in music.

Will you be able to go back to Coronation Street if the music career goes wrong?
I’m 18 – to start burning my bridges and saying ‘I’ll never go back to Corrie’ would be stupid. I only have fond memories of that place and had a brilliant four years there. I just wanted to do something different. My character went on holiday to Paris and then ran away to Berlin so he wasn’t killed off.

You played a goth on the show. Are you a goth fan in reality?
No. It’s too much effort. I like to get up, have a shower, put some clothes on and get out the front door. I’d have a problem finding time to do my nails and put eyeliner on.

What songs get on your nerves?
I don’t like the whole jumping-onthe- bandwagon thing. That whole Britrock thing. As long as the band’s name starts with ‘the’ and they sing in a pronounced regional accent, then it seems to sell. I can’t stand that Beautiful Girls song by Sean Kingston either. After the 15th time of listening to it on the radio, I can’t stand it. It’s in your head all day.

You’ve stopped straightening your hair. Has it put the ladies off?
People seem to have an issue with my hair because it’s curly. I only straightened it because I was playing a goth and they wanted me with longer hair in the show. The solution was to straighten it. It’s a lot of effort. I don’t think it’s affected my success with the ladies, not that I was a ladies’ man before.

Weren’t you supposed to replace Daniel Radcliffe in Equus? Why didn’t you?
I wanted to focus on writing the album. I’d been in the studio for a year and didn’t want to leave it to go and do something as demanding as Equus. I’d love to do something like that in the future, though. I’m against getting your top off in music videos but if a part like that one demands nudity then you have to do it – it’s vital to the role. You hope the audience isn’t just going for the nude scene and will be taking the whole play in.

Your mum was in Brookside. Did Jimmy Corkhill pop round for tea?
Yeah. It’s like anything, if you work at a bank your friends will be fellow bankers. It’s the same with acting.

Were you star-struck by him?
No. I grew up with it. They were just friends, really, then I realised what they did for a living. Both my parents were actors long before I was around. Seeing mum and dad on TV or stage was just normal to me.

What was the last thing you bought on eBay?
A guitar pedal. You can get quite cheap music stuff on there.

What advice would you give Britney Spears?
She’s sold 80million records, so I’d be the one asking for her advice. She’s dealt with so much with what she’s been through. The worst thing in the world for a mother must be having your kids taken away, so I’d just hope everything sorts itself out for her.
Metro

Liverpool Nativity

Geoffrey Hughes, Cathy Tyson and Jennifer Ellison star in BBC Three's Liverpool Nativity – a contemporary retelling of the Christmas story live on the streets of Liverpool, on Sunday, December 16.

The cast is lead by Geoffrey Hughes as the Angel Gabriel directing events as they unfold live in Liverpool city centre. Cathy Tyson stars as Herodia and there will be appearances other Liverpool celebrities including Paul Barber and Andrew Schofield.

The hour-long production uses familiar songs from Liverpool's great pop legacy to bring the story to life. Popular music from a wealth of Liverpool bands – The Beatles, The La's, The Zutons and more.

Liverpool Nativity has been developed by the team behind Manchester Passion and the two Flashmob operas.




Greg Burns Joins Capital

Virgin presenter Greg Burns is joining London's Capital 95.8 to replace James Cannon who is leaving the station after ten years.

Although best known as a DJ, Burns performs stand-up comedy and has enjoyed great success since his debut at the Edinburgh Festival in 2000.

He was drivetime presenter for Heart 106.2 for four years.

On Capital he will present the 10:00 to 13;00 Monday to Friday slot.




Top Gear In Australia

Australia is to get its own version of Top Gear after a licensing agreement was signed by the BBC.

Eight episodes are expected to be screened next year on state multicultural broadcaster SBS.

The UK version of Top Gear fronted by Jeremy Clarkson will continue to screen in Australia.

SBS has signed a new deal for the lifetime of the programme, which is has aired on the channel since 2005 and is the station's highest-rating non-sport show.

Presenters to host the Australian version are now being sought.The hunt is now on for presenters to host the Australian version of the show.

"In making it, we won't simply replicate the UK series with an Australian version of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond or James May," Said Matt Campbell SBS director of content.

"SBS plans to make a programme that is uniquely and quintessentially Australian."




Parkinson's Final Guests

Michael Parkinson's final interview programme before his retirement will see the veteran broadcaster speaking to Sir Michael Caine, Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench and Dame Edna Everage.

Billy Connolly, Peter Kay and Jamie Cullum will also appear on the show, which will be the last time Parkinson interviews guests in the studio.

The 72-year-old will end his last ITV1 series with a lifetime retrospective.

Parkinson described his final studio line-up as a collection of "friends who have made a particular contribution" to his long-running chat show.

"They are also people of great talent and interest," he said. "What a wonderful way to finish."

The two-hour Parkinson airs on ITV1 on December 15.




Ofcom Rejects Channel 4 Complaints

Media watchdog Ofcom has rejected complaints by West Midlands Police about a Channel 4 undercover programme that exposed extremism in British mosques.

Police claimed that the Dispatches programme had misrepresented the views of Muslim preachers and clerics with misleading editing.

Following the ruling, the broadcaster called the police's actions "perverse" and said they had, in some people's eyes, given "legitimacy to people preaching a message of hate".

Ofcom said: "Undercover Mosque was a legitimate investigation, uncovering matters of important public interest.

"Ofcom found no evidence that the broadcaster had misled the audience or that the programme was likely to encourage or incite criminal activity. On the evidence (including untransmitted footage and scripts), Ofcom found that the broadcaster had accurately represented the material it had gathered and dealt with the subject matter responsibly and in context."

The programme featured undercover recordings from speakers alleged to be homophobic, anti-Semitic, sexist and condemnatory of non-Muslims.

Excerpts from preachers and teachers included "Allah created the woman deficient" and "by the age of 10, it becomes an obligation on us to force her (young girls) to wear hijab and if she doesn't wear hijab, we hit her".

Other statements included "take that homosexual and throw him off the mountain" and "whoever changes his religion from Al Islam to anything else - kill him in the Islamic state".

Police initially launched an investigation into whether criminal offences had been committed at the mosques and other organisations featured in the programme. They then said that it considered offences may have been committed by those involved in the production and broadcast of the programme, specifically in stirring up racial hatred.

After the Crown Prosecution Service advised that the prospect of conviction was unlikely, police referred Undercover Mosque to Ofcom, complaining that intense editing had misrepresented those featured in the programme. Ofcom also rejected the 364 viewers' complaints it received after the programme was broadcast, which it said appeared to be part of a campaign.

waveguide.co.uk

Diamond Reveals `Caroline' Inspiration


Neil Diamond held onto the secret for decades, but he has finally revealed that President Kennedy's daughter was the inspiration for his smash hit "Sweet Caroline."

"I've never discussed it with anybody before — intentionally," the 66-year-old singer-songwriter told The Associated Press on Monday during a break from recording. "I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday."

He got his chance last week when he performed the song via satellite at Caroline Kennedy's 50th birthday party.

Diamond was a "young, broke songwriter" when a photo of the president's daughter in a news magazine caught his eye.

"It was a picture of a little girl dressed to the nines in her riding gear, next to her pony," Diamond recalled. "It was such an innocent, wonderful picture, I immediately felt there was a song in there."

Years later, holed up in a hotel in Memphis, Tenn., he would write the words and music in less an hour.

"It was a No. 1 record and probably is the biggest, most important song of my career, and I have to thank her for the inspiration," he said. "I'm happy to have gotten it off my chest and to have expressed it to Caroline. I thought she might be embarrassed, but she seemed to be struck by it and really, really happy."

The enduring hit recently reappeared on the singles chart, thanks in part to the Boston Red Sox. "Sweet Caroline" is played at every home game.

"I think they consider it good luck," Diamond said, adding that the Red Sox have become his favorite baseball team.

The tune's return to the charts leaves Diamond "speechless," he said. "That song was written 40 years ago, so I am just overwhelmed by the fact that it has returned and that, more importantly, people have taken it into their hearts for so many years."

Diamond is now at work on a new album, his second collaboration with producer Rick Rubin.

"We're both very excited about it," Diamond said. "I think it's going to be one of my best ever."
On the Net:

* Neil Diamond: http://www.neildiamond.com/

60 Seconds: Jonathan Rhys Meyers


Jonathan Rhys Meyers grew up in Ireland and, at the age of 19, won the role of Michael Collins' assassin in Neil Jordan's film. He has since starred in Bend It Like Beckham, played Elvis on US TV, seduced Scarlett Johansson for Woody Allen in Match Point and been a sexy Henry VIII in BBC drama The Tudors. His new film, August Rush, is out this week.

You play a musician in your new film. Aren’t your father and brothers all musicians?
Yes, but I don’t quite have their musical talents. I don’t think I’d ever be anywhere near as good a musician as I am an actor. Just because you’re good at one thing, it doesn’t mean you’re good at everything. I’d never want to be mediocre at something.

Match Point was your big break in the US. Was it an ambition to work with Woody Allen?
He was great to work with because it was a very straightforward process. I love his films but I didn’t feel like other actors do: ‘Omigod! A Woody Allen movie!’ I think Match Point is the best film he’s made in the last 15 years.

Didn’t you have a less happy time with Oliver Stone while making Alexander?
I did have a difficult time with Oliver. You have to have a very strong sense of yourself to do a film with Oliver.

You seem like you do.
I have now. Alexander gave me that. I wouldn’t change my experience on that film for anything. I really grew up an awful lot on that film. I became responsible for myself as an actor and also realised that nobody really has the answers.

Did you get to know Tom Cruise when you made Mission: Impossible 3?
A bit. Not too much. I don’t spend time hanging out when I’m working. But he’s very professional and focused. He’s a very easy-going fellow who loves his job. He’s also the boss so he has a lot of pressure.

I can’t stand actresses who won’t take their clothes off. If it says in the script you’re naked, be naked

You live in LA now. What’s your life like there?
I’m quite insular when I’m working. I live very healthily – I have done for a while now. My big thing is going to the gym. It’s very LA. And I don’t drink alcohol any more, under any circumstances. [This interview was conducted before Jonathan was arrested this week for public drunkenness and breach of the peace in Dublin.]

Why did you stop?
I got bored. It’s not a way to live. I stopped. I wanted different things.

Such as?
Better work. My health. If you go out and party six nights a week in your twenties, you think you’re invincible. Then you find at 35 you’re not getting good roles any more because you’re a fat ugly f***, because you’ve been out hitting the booze for years, doing drugs and screwing different girls. Growing up in Ireland, I saw many a handsome young man walk into the bar with great dreams. Then I saw the same man sitting there 15 years later, still nursing the pint.

Don’t you miss drinking?
Sometimes it would be nice to go out and go on a bender but no, not really. I don’t like hangovers. It’s just not my deal any more.

Did you want to act from an early age?
No, I just knew I wanted to be rich and do as little work as possible. I’m in the right business for a little work and great reward. But then I’ve never been paid huge money for my job.

What drives you crazy about Hollywood life?
I can’t stand actresses who won’t take their clothes off. It drives me nuts. I want to cut their ears off. If it says in the script you’re naked, be naked, instead of moaning and saying: ‘I really don’t want to show my tits, I don’t want to show my arse.’

Who’s the best actress you’ve worked with?
Scarlett Johansson is very good, very talented. She’s extraordinary because she’s very beautiful, wealthy, talented and is in all the magazines. Everything that a young movie star is – except Scarlett gets major awards. Other actresses her age don’t.

What male stars do you rate?
Loads. Colin Farrell and Cillian Murphy are gorgeous. Orlando Bloom, as a movie star, is very hard to beat. He puts bums on seats. I’d go to see an Orlando film, no problem. I know Joaquin Phoenix quite well. There are an awful lot of actors that I respect. There are some very good guys out there.

Do you worry about becoming more famous?
No. I don’t care about it. I couldn’t give a toss. I just want to do the work I do and get paid better money. Fame is just part of it but it’s not something I dwell on. It’s not like I wake up in the morning and try to get more famous.

So we won’t hear you moaning about the price of fame in a couple of years’ time?
I’m not going to bitch and moan about it, no. I find it very hard when those guys sitting in their 20,000 acre estates go, “Yeah, the fame thing really gets to me”. Fame is part of the deal.

You’ve never been romantically linked with any of your co-stars. How come?
I don’t think I’d ever date an actress. There’s only room for one in my life, and I’m it.

Are you vain?
I used to be more vain than I am now. I’d go out and party with my friends and I’d be on set, constantly looking at myself thinking: ‘Oh f***.’ Now I do all the things in my life to avoid that. When I go to bed, I know I’ve gone to the gym, slept well, eaten well and drunk a lot of water. I do everything to present the best person I can be. Now I don’t even look in the mirror. If you take care of yourself, physically, spiritually and mentally, that’s all you can do and everything else is down to other people’s perception of you.
Metro

Freeview and HD

FreeviewThe BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five today announced that they have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding that, if agreed, would deliver High Definition (HD) channels on Freeview by the projected completion of digital switchover in 2012.

Potentially from late-2009/2010, BBC HD, ITV HD and Channel 4 HD could all be available on Freeview, with Five HD launching as soon afterwards as capacity is available and by 2012 at the latest, subject to the relevant regulatory agreements and conditional on the necessary board approvals.




Chris Langham Interview

Sky News has broadcast an interview with actor Chris Langham in his first extensive sit-down interview since he was freed from prison.

Chris Langham spoke exclusively to Sky News presenter Anna Botting about why he downloaded child pornography, his time in jail, how it feels to be freed, how he contemplated suicide and his own child abuse.

Asked why he downloaded the images, he said: "I have no right to have done it. It was completely wrong that I did it. There are no excuses for it. I think one of the difficulties I’ve found going through this, is that there’s an assumption made that if you’ve looked at images like this, that therefore you must have looked at them because you have a sexual interest in children. And it’s an odd logic because one of the reasons I wanted to write about it and as a writer I am my best resource, if I want to write about someone who’s angry or lonely or in love. I’ve been angry, I’ve been lonely, I’ve been in love. I can usually look into myself and find the material that I need and as it happens I am the victim of sexual abuse when I was a child.

"One of the inaccuracies in the reporting is that I paid for it. I never paid for it, I’ve never registered with a site, I’ve never been a member of a paedophile ring, I’ve never communicated with anybody with interest in this sort of thing. I knew that the stuff was there on the internet and freely sitting there and I did look."

"The other thing about my case is that people who have a sick interest in this kind of stuff often routinely have hundreds of thousands of images on their computer. I had 15, only four of which I’ve ever seen and of the four that I saw I only saw the first few seconds of them because I couldn’t bear it. I found them too upsetting and distasteful and disturbing. So I looked because I felt that if I was going to tell the story with a responsible and caring attitude.

"….It was wrong of me to look and I’m sorry that I did and I’ve paid a heavy price for it."




Bradley Walsh To Host This Morning

Actor Bradley Walsh, who played Danny Baldwin in Coronation Street, is returning to television.

The actor left the soap last year to pursue other projects but is now to host ITV1's This Morning's to fill in for regular hosts Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield.

Speaking about his new role, he said: "I have never really done this before."

He added: "I love the show and I may throw a bit of Danny in too."




Warner Bros To Launch UK Channel

Warner Bros has teamed up with Virgin Media and BT Vision to launch a new entertainment channel featuring the studio's content.

It will be the first UK channel devoted to the output of a single studio. It will not however, feature the Warner Bros film catalogue.

The channel will be available for a subscription of £5 a month, but it will be free to Virgin media top level subscribers.

Jeffrey Schlesinger, president of Warner Bros International Television, said: "We remain committed to finding new and innovative ways to make our programming accessible to viewers around the globe at their convenience, and we are thrilled to be launching the Warner TV channels in the UK."

Virgin Media's chief executive of content, Malcolm Wall, said: "Nearly half of our customers are already using our TV on demand service regularly, but we're always looking at new ways to make the on-screen navigation even simpler and more appealing.

"The launch of Warner TV within the subscription area is an exciting addition and offers viewers some hugely popular series in one place."




Winter And Spring On BBC Two

Delia Smith will return to BBC Two as part of its winter and spring line-up.

Smith's series promises "a glimpse into the life of one of Britain's most celebrated cooks", as she reveals the kitchen shortcuts that allow her to pursue her interests in football, religion and business.

The white working class comes under the spotlight in a season of shows looking at why some sections of this community are feeling increasingly marginalised.

The season includes White Girl, a new drama by writer Abi Morgan.

"The White season is a complex look at how life has changed for the white working class in Britain," said BBC Two controller Roly Keating.

"This is a timely moment for us to examine the roots of this debate," he continued.

Other highlights include House of Saddam, a drama about Saddam Hussein's reign in Iraq, and a second series of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood.

Comedy series Taking the Flak will follow the progress of a small African war from the viewpoint of a team of journalists covering the conflict.

Doon Mackichan and Martin Jarvis co-star in the satire, which will feature cameo appearances from BBC newsreaders Sophie Raworth and George Alagiah.

Other comedy series include Empty, which sees Lord of the Rings star Billy Boyd as a young man employed by a property maintenance company.



International Emmy Awards

The 35th International Emmy Awards in New York have been dominated by British TV programmes.

They won seven out of their eight nominations which included best actor for Jim Broadbent in The Street, which also won best drama series, and best comedy for Little Britain Abroad.

Other British winners included Simon Schama's Power of Art: Bernini, about the Baroque sculptor, for best arts programming.

Stephen Fry's The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive won best documentary, and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? took the award for best non-scripted entertainment.

The one non-BBC British winner was More4's Death of a President.

The awards ceremony, held at the Hilton New York hotel, honours TV programmes produced outside the US.

waveguide.co.uk

Most Haunted Heads For Radio

Yvette Fielding is to host a radio spin-off from the successful Living series Most Haunted.

The new show will feature every Friday night between 22:00 and 01:00 on Birmingham-based Kerrang!.

Like the TV series, the show will be independently produced by Fielding's indie Antix Productions. Each radio show will be recorded at a haunted venue, executive produced by Fielding and her husband Karl Beattie.

"I think it will offer radio audiences something very different that you don't get from any other station," said Fielding.



Three Minute Wonder

Channel 4 celebrates its own 12 Days of Christmas with a series of short films each taking a sideways glance at this year's festive season, starting on Monday, December 17.

From the unusual world of competitive Christmas tree growing to life at a London hospice, each of the 12 films provides a unique perspective on yuletide traditions, old and new.

For some Christmas is a joyous time, for others it's a difficult and emotional one. Over three consecutive weeks, 3 Minute Wonder meets people from all walks of life including the businesses who depend on Christmas to survive and the children for whom it is still all about wonder and excitement.




BBC Phone-Ins To Return

The BBC today confirmed that it will reintroduce some of its phone-in competitions before Christmas, with Goal of the Month on Match of the Day and Popmaster on Ken Bruce's Radio 2 show among those programmes almost certain to be back.

A BBC spokesman confirmed that the BBC "hoped and expected" that a small number of other phone-ins would return before Christmas, with others likely to return in the new year.

The announcement was made as the BBC published its first code of conduct today for competitions and voting on television, radio and online services in the wake of a number of high-profile incidents of viewer deception.

In July the BBC revealed that six shows, including Children In Need, Comic Relief, Sport Relief and Liz Kershaw's radio show, were under investigation.

At the time, the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, suspended competitions and phone-ins and announced new guidelines would be drawn up.


Longer Run For Cutting Edge

Channel 4 is extending the run of its flagship documentary strand, Cutting Edge, in 2008 and intends to schedule a record 30 episodes, three times the number transmitted in 2007.

The hour-long showcase for contemporary single documentaries will be shown at21:00 on Thursdays next year in two runs of 15 episodes, with the first starting in mid January.

Angus Macqueen, Head of Documentaries, said: “Channel 4 is more committed than ever to supporting documentary making in the UK and we have decided to celebrate Cutting Edge’s 17th year by commissioning its longest-ever run. Viewers can expect to see high-quality films on an extraordinary range of subjects from both established filmmakers and rising talents in the documentary world.”


Channel 4 Winter
Channel 4 has today announced details of its package of programmes for the winter.

The programmes include a designed to raise public awareness about how our food is produced. Other highlights include: Stephen Hawking presenting a major science series; a new extended run for a revamped Cutting Edge; three new contemporary one-off films; an unusual Channel 4 take on costume drama; and a new entertainment vehicle for comedian, Alan Carr. channel’s longer-running returning factual formats.

Starting in January, Channel 4’s three colossi of the kitchen join forces in a fortnight-long campaigning season that asks the British public to think before they eat. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall challenges the supermarkets to rethink their methods in Hugh’s Chicken Run; Jamie Oliver reveals the ruthless machinations of the food-industry in Jamie’s Fowl Dinners; and, in Cook-a-Long-a-Gordon LIVE, Gordon Ramsay goes live to unite the nation in a countrywide cooking experience.

Channel 4’s Iraq Season is a week of programmes to mark the fifth anniversary of the invasion, which analyses the legacy of the military intervention and includes special editions of Dispatches and acclaimed foreign affairs series Unreported World. The centrepiece of the season is Battle for Haditha, a drama by Nick Broomfield.

New drama singles this winter also include the comic Poppy Shakespeare, based on Clare Allan’s best-selling novel about life on a psychiatric hospital day ward. Fallout, adapted by Roy Williams from his stage play, charts the escalation in youth gun and knife crime in the UK and stars Lennie James as Joe, a policeman returning to the estate he grew up on, to investigate the murder of a black teenager.

Set in 18th-century Covent Garden, City of Vice is a new five-part drama series that brings to life the vice-ridden world of Georgian London. Ian McDiarmid and Iain Glen lead the cast as Henry and John Fielding, the brothers and magistrates of London who are credited with creating the modern police force.

In a new two-part series, Stephen Hawking: Master of the Universe, the world famous physicist invites viewers to join him on a tour of the cosmos 20 years on from publication of A Brief History of Time.

Winter sees the launch of a first solo series for award-winning Channel 4 comedian Alan Carr when he hosts Alan Carr’s Celebrity Ding Dong, his new Friday night studio-based show in which famous faces square up to the public.

In January, celebrities turn the tables in Big Brother Celebrity Hijack when they take over Big Brother’s role, hosted by Dermot O'Leary.



Radio Scotland - No Music Day

BBC Radio Scotland has turned off the music today in a unique experiment.

The move was to mark No Music Day - the brainchild of musician, writer, artist and architect of bizarre stunts, Bill Drummond.

The former KLF frontman challenged people to consider how they view and use music in their lives.

Instead of music, Radio Scotland programmes have included discussions, interviews and a chance to contemplate a world without music.

He chose Wednesday, November 21 because it is the day before St Cecilia's Day. She is the patron saint of music.

"There seemed a logic that we fast from music on the day before we may traditionally have celebrated and given thanks for music," Drummond said.

He added: "I decided to have one day without listening to music to give myself some space."

Drummond has appeared on various Radio Scotland programmes during the day to talk about music and avoiding it for 24 hours.

The usual Good Morning Scotland music at 07:00 was replaced with other effects.



Ofcom Plan Freeview Upgrade

Ofcom has set out plans to upgrade the free-to-air digital TV service Freeview to make room for high definition (HD) channels to benefit the consumer and the economy.

The regulator said that under its proposal, the service would be able to offer HD channels without needing additional radio spectrum from as early as 2009.

It predicts that the upgrade could bring benefits to the economy worth between 4 billion and 6 billion pounds over 25 years.

The transition to HDTV has been called a landmark move for the industry, similar to the shift from black and white to colour, and terrestrial broadcasters want to be able to compete with the sharply improved TV picture offered by pay-TV firms BSkyB and Virgin Media.

They had called on the government and Ofcom to reserve some of the highly sought after spectrum that will be freed up from the switchover to be used to carry HD channels on Freeview, in a bid to prevent a national "HD Divide" between those who can and those who can't watch TV in HD.

But yesterday the country's four main broadcasters, the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, said they could in fact produce the service with the currently available resources. Ofcom has said it intends to auction the released spectrum off to the highest bidder.

Ed Richards, Chief Executive of Ofcom, said the proposal to upgrade Digital Terrestrial Television, or Freeview, represented a major opportunity to build on its success with wider, richer and more varied services, including the potential for HDTV.

"We look forward to hearing the views of viewers and from right across the industry," he said.

Ofcom said it would ask the broadcasters to come up with individual suggestions for how they would use the extra capacity in the hope that competition will result in higher standards.

Ofcom said the upgrade could roll out across the country from 2009 and result in four HD channels by 2012.



waveguide.co.uk

Murdoch wants Sky News to be more like rightwing Fox


The media mogul Rupert Murdoch has said he wants Sky News to become more like his rightwing US network Fox News, and revealed the extent of his editorial grip on his British newspapers to a House of Lords committee.

The communications committee, chaired by Lord Fowler, toured the US in September to meet media executives, regulators and consumer groups as part of an inquiry into media ownership. Their conversations were made public yesterday in detailed minutes.

Murdoch said he wanted Sky News, which has confounded cynics by maturing into a well-funded and award-winning 24-hour news operation, to be more like Fox News to make it "a proper alternative to the BBC".

Due to the lack of impartiality laws in the US, Fox News became successful as a rightwing counterpoint to the perceived leftwing leanings of its rivals.

Murdoch said Sky may become more like Fox, even if there was no overhaul of news impartiality laws by Ofcom, by copying its presentational style. He complained that changes had not been made because "nobody at Sky listens to me". The BSkyB chief executive is his son James.

Murdoch, 76, recently added the Wall Street Journal to an empire that includes 20th Century Fox, the Times, the Sun, a stake in BSkyB, MySpace and interests in South America, Asia and Australia.

Murdoch restated his antipathy towards British legislators and regulators, saying the UK was "anti-success" and this had prevented him from expanding his media empire further. They kept investigating his purchases on the grounds of plurality, he said, but he had invested in plurality by keeping the Times afloat and putting 200 channels on the air through Sky.

He claimed the government's concern about cross-media ownership was "10 years out of date" given the proliferation of media outlets, and said concern over BSkyB's purchase of a 17.9% stake in rival ITV stemmed from "paranoia".

Next month John Hutton, secretary of state for business, enterprise and regulatory reform, will receive the Competition Commission's final verdict on the matter and decide what action to take.

In the minutes, Murdoch distinguished between the Times and the Sunday Times, in which he said he did not interfere in editorial matters, and the Sun and the News of the World, where he said he acted like "a traditional proprietor". "He exercises editorial control on major issues - like which party to back in a general election or policy on Europe," said the minutes.
guardian

Murder Linked To Chat Show Proposal Sky

OPRAH'S ENEMY STRIKES AGAIN nypost.

The digital embrace: rival broadcasters unite to avoid fate of music industry

· BBC, ITV and Channel 4 to launch download service
· Massive online library will offer thousands of classics


They have traditionally scrapped for audiences, tussled over key talent and furiously briefed against one another. But Britain's biggest broadcasters united yesterday to unveil a new video-on-demand download service designed to take on the US giants, such as Apple, and the bedroom pirates alike, offering thousands of classic programmes at the touch of a button.

By offering the massive online library, with everything from mainstream hits to niche interest and cult classics, the BBC's commercial arm, ITV and Channel 4 hope to help maintain their relevance in the digital age.

They also hope to avoid the fate of a music industry, which was brought to its knees by piracy and left to rely on digital giants such as Apple and its iTunes service for survival.

The "historic" agreement will allow viewers to replay recent shows they have missed, providing a home for the free catch-up services recently launched by ITV and Channel 4 and linking through to the BBC's iPlayer.

But for many the attraction will be an extensive archive likely to feature everything from mainstream hits such as Doctor Who and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet to acclaimed British dramas such as Our Friends in the North and GBH. The eclectic mix is also likely to comprise landmark documentaries, such as the World at War, and classic comedies, ranging from Blackadder to On the Buses.

The broadcasters said Project Kangaroo, which will be given a new consumer brand name before it launches next year, would feature over 10,000 hours of content at launch and trial a number of prices.

Some programmes will be available free, but accompanied by advertising, while others will attract a rental charge or be made available to buy for a higher fee. It may also experiment with a subscription service, offering "all you can eat" access for a set monthly fee.

The partners hope the joint venture will do for downloads what Freeview did for digital television when it launched five years ago and stimulated demand among those who would never have previously considered extra channels.

David Moody, managing director of digital media and director of strategy at BBC Worldwide, said: "It will allow viewers to experience the breadth and depth of the content they love in a convenient form. This is a drive to provide a single place to access that content. If you love TV you will go to it."

The broadcasters have faced a huge challenge renegotiating rights deals with all concerned in archive programmes.

While Project Kangaroo, supported by a big marketing drive, will initially launch as a PC-based service, they hope to launch a television version shortly afterwards. The next generation of Freeview boxes is likely to support high definition channels and have broadband connections, allowing broadcasters to offer on-demand programming directly to the living room TV.

"We want to continue to build and innovate in this area, giving viewers ultimate control over what they watch and when they watch it, and believe that partnering and sharing expertise is the best way of doing this," said the Channel 4 chief executive, Andy Duncan.

Project Kangaroo, which will be overseen by the former BSkyB executive Lesley MacKenzie, is expected to encourage other content owners such as Five, independent production giants and Hollywood studios to join the main terrestrial broadcasters on the service.

Channel 4 was the first broadcaster to launch a comprehensive on-demand service a year ago and a spokesman said 60m programmes had been viewed to date, just under 10m of those online. ITV said almost six million unique users had visited ITV.com in October, viewing 2m programmes. New business director, Rod Henwood, said simplicity was very important and promised to make the new service easy to use and transparently priced.

But Project Kangaroo will face huge competition on a global scale, not only from digital giants such as Apple, Amazon and Google but pay TV rivals, including Sky's Anytime, which offers movies, sport and entertainment to a PC for no extra cost. It may also struggle to attract the generation of internet users who download programmes for nothing on popular BitTorrent sharing sites.

Tom Betts, ITV's commercial and acquisitions director, said one goal was to make piracy less attractive by offering many programmes for free. "If you're free and ad funded you can't be undercut," he said.

BBC Worldwide chief executive, John Smith, who is leading an ambitious drive to boost profits from the corporation's commercial arm, said it was a "historic moment" and that a key aim was to avoid the fate of the music industry in losing control of its assets. "In the UK we felt worried about what happened to the music industry," he said. "[Apple's] iTunes is a disaster for rights holders."
guardian

60 SECONDS: Sonia Evans


Singer Sonia Evans scored hits in the 1980s thanks to production company Stock Aitken Waterman and was labelmates with Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. After that she appeared in musicals such as Grease and was last seen on pop-resurrection show Reborn In The USA. Sonia's 50 Songs To Make You Smile is on The Hits channel on December 8.

It’s been a while since you were on the TV. What are you up to?
It’s nice to be back on the telly again but I never stopped touring or doing theatre shows. I was asked to do Celebrity Scissorhands but it clashed with a stage show I was doing in Liverpool. That’s the way TV is going: it’s all reality shows.

What’s the best thing about coming from Liverpool?
The people and sense of humour are great. I don’t feel at home unless I’m in Liverpool. I remember when I met Paul McCartney I nearly fainted. He’s an icon.

Does Pete Waterman phone you up for a chat?
We’re still on speaking terms and we’ve sent each other a couple of letters over the years. We’ve got a good relationship. He gave me my first break, so I’ll never forget him.

Were you pals with Kylie when you were both signed at Stock Aitken Waterman?
Yes, we did a British tour with Rick Astley and Jason Donovan. I don’t see her now, though. I see Sinitta more. We did a show together called What A Feeling. I think the world of Sinitta; she’s great.

Teenage pop stars nowadays all seem to go mad. How did you avoid rehab?
I had a boyfriend at the time, who I met at school. I kept him a secret because Pete Waterman wanted everyone to think I was single. After the gigs everyone else would go out and party but I’d go back to my hotel room to phone my boyfriend. He kept my feet on the ground and now we’re married.

I’d love to talk to Elvis. I’d just ask him what playing Vegas was like. He’s the most gorgeous man who ever lived

What are the highlights of your career?
There are so many. The first time I did Top Of The Pops, travelling first class around the world and wearing beautiful clothes. It was amazing.

What was the most surprising country you had a hit in?
Brazil. We arrived on the plane and there were 5,000 fans at the airport waving my album in the air. I didn’t know it but I’d been No.1 there for months. I did a concert for 20,000 people and it was broadcast on Brazilian TV. Every time I opened the curtains of my hotel room there was a crowd of fans waiting and screaming. It was unbelievable.

Is having that level of success and then losing it difficult to handle?
I was making music for teenyboppers and once I’d done Eurovision I wanted to get into theatre. Since then I’ve done live shows and now I’m doing corporate gigs and student venues. I’m happy doing live stage work.

Would you revisit Eurovision?
No, it’s really changed since 1993. British entries don’t have a cat in hell’s chance because the voting has become so politically motivated.

Who did you lose to?
Ireland, by one point. We gave them 12 points, they gave us nothing. I was so devastated I didn’t go to the party. [Ireland actually gave the United Kingdom eight points and won by 23 points].

Have you ever been attacked by an animal?
Yes. Our St Bernard chased me up the stairs and ripped my pyjama top off my back when I was nine.

If you could talk to a dead person who would it be?
Elvis. I’d just ask him what playing Vegas was like. He was the most gorgeous man who ever lived.

Are you any good at DIY?
No but it doesn’t matter because my husband’s a joiner and he can fix anything. He does staircases, doors, halls and he makes furniture.

Do you know Cilla Black?
Yes. I was on Surprise Surprise twice and if I see her I say hello.

Do you know Jimmy Corkhill?
Yes, my sister was in Brookside. If I see Dean [Sullivan, who played Corkhill] when we’re out we have a chat. He recently invited me to his birthday party but I couldn’t make it.

EastEnder genius dies


The man who created EastEnders has died after a long illness.

Script editor Tony Holland, 67, dreamed up the show - which began in 1985 - with producer Julia Smith after they met on the set of Z-Cars.

He got Wendy Richard to play Pauline Fowler despite fears she was too glamorous for the role.

John Yorke, controller of BBC drama, said: "He was a true genius."
Mirror

60 SECONDS: Annie Mac


Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac started as an assistant at the BBC station and was then offered her own show. Her Friday Mash Up now boasts a tuned-in following with its diverse range of dance grooves. She DJs at clubs across the country and also does the odd voice-over. Mac, 29, is launching Budweiser's Rising Talent for would-be DJs. Visit http://www.budweiser.co.uk

Got any tips for would-be DJs?
You’ve got to be dedicated. Practise for hours every day – you need to feel confident on the decks, especially in front of the crowds. You must have upfront tunes and at least one new track people haven’t heard before.

Where are the worst crowds?
London – the crowds are less willing to enjoy themselves and expect quite cutting-edge stuff. There’s so much choice in the capital that it’s not as special as if you do Dundee and DJ to people who maybe don’t get out very often. The further north you go the better the crowds – a different level.

You went from being an assistant at Radio 1 to getting your own show. How?
It’s important to get on with people. If you’re doing work experience make sure people remember you because you’ve been enthusiastic. You have to be good at your job, too, of course. Don’t be afraid to do the lowly jobs at the beginning. Use your contacts, but not to the point that you’re harassing people.

Are you hoping to get the breakfast show? Isn’t that the goal for all Radio 1 DJs?
No. I don’t like getting up in the morning. I don’t listen to the breakfast show because I’m in bed. I always want to have my Friday night specialist shows. I’m lucky to be able to choose what I want to play – to do that for ever would be amazing.

What was the first record that you bought?
The first tapes I bought were Guns N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion I and II and the first CD I got was by Stakka Bo, a terrible Swedish dance act who had a song called Here We Go.

I don’t like Crunk. I don’t like that sound. Lil Jon does my head in. I don’t know why, he just aggravates me

Are there any songs that really get on your nerves?
I don’t like Crunk and that sound. Lil Jon does my head in, I don’t know why, he just aggravates me.

What has been your worst on-air experience?
Saying that David Cameron was the leader of the Conservatory Party. I was doing the early breakfast show covering for JK and Joel. It started at 4am. You’re so delirious with tiredness that by 6.50am you can hardly string a sentence together. Scott Mills was on next. He heard me and played the clip the whole way through the rest of his show.

Did you get your own back?
No, I don’t go in for that DJ competitiveness. That’s a daytime radio thing.

You got paid £1,500 for 15 minutes work doing a voice-over. What advert was it for?
I can’t remember. Voice-overs are really well paid so that’s just standard money. I don’t get nearly as much as some people. You get paid for two or three hours work but inevitably it only takes 15 minutes because you just say a couple of things. The goal is to get a shampoo or toothpaste ad, that’s where the big bucks are.

Is there anything that you would never advertise?
I was asked to do the advert for Richard Fleeshman’s record. He’s a nice guy but I have to remember my Friday night show and the fact I’m a club DJ. I play Chromeo and DJ Zinc, which is as far from Richard Fleeshman as you can get. I have to consider what my listeners would think.

What was the last thing you bought on eBay?
A present for my now ex-boyfriend. He shared his name with a make of jeans so I bought him a pair for his birthday. They were really crap jeans but it’s the thought that counts.

What’s the best thing about coming from Dublin?
It’s a great city. You can drive for five miles and be in the countryside then drive a few more miles and be in another city. The pubs are amazing. When I first came to England I couldn’t believe there were chain pubs, there are none in Dublin. Each pub is owned by a family and has its own personality. The All Bar One and O’Neill’s thing was weird to me.
Metro

Mr & Mrs TV show returns
EXCLUSIVE Classic quiz show is back.. for celeb couples
By Lara Gould Tv Reporter Lara.Gould@Sundaymirror.Co.Uk
Cult quiz Mr & Mrs is making a TV comeback - with celebrity couples going head to head.

Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster are among the stars who have signed up for a revival of the 1970s series, which pits married couples against each other in a quiz about their lives.

The show will hit our screens next April, hosted by This Morning duo Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield.

And ITV bosses are already lining up a string of high-profile celebrity guests to see how well they know their other halves.

Glamour model Jordan and husband Peter Andre, and Strictly Come Dancing hostess Tess Daly and husband Vernon Kay are also going to take part.

A source said: "Mr & Mrs was a fantastic format, but throwing in the celebrity element will bring it bang up to date. Celebs love showing off their perfect lives and happy families.

"But Mr & Mrs is the ultimate expose of married life. The questions might be simple, but it's like holding up a mirror to your relationship.

You either know each other or you don't.

"And what could be more revealing than finding out that A-listers know a lot less about each other than they like to suggest?" Mr & Mrs was launched by Harlech and Border TV as separate regional shows in 1968, and went nationwide in 1973.

Competing couples were each asked three multiple choice questions about their spouse's everyday habits and tastes - while their partner sat in a soundproof booth nearby wearing headphones with music piped in.

Prizes included £10 for every correct answer, a silver tray or a loving cup - plus a £2,000 jackpot for getting all six questions right.

Losing couples were consoled with a special edition Mr & Mrs carriage clock "with all our love".

The source added: "The series will be restyled for the Noughties. But it will still be guaranteed family viewing."

The old version of the show is fondly recalled for host Derek Batey's catchphrase "Be nice to each other" and the syrupy theme tune "Mr and Mrs... be nice to each other. Mr and Mrs... we've got to love one another."

Batey, who owns the rights to the show, gave the revival the green light two years ago after giving production company Celador - behind the hit quiz Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? - permission to develop the format.

At its peak the series pulled in over 10 million viewers and was screened in a prime-time slot on Saturday nights before it was taken off air in 1988.

It was briefly revived in 1999 with camp comic Julian Clary at the helm, accompanied by 80s singer Paul Young's glamorous ex-wife Stacey.

THEN

Q. GOING out shopping in summer time, does your wife wear gloves with her dress:

A. (a) Sometimes (b) Always (c) Never

Q. On your wedding night, who decided on which sides of the bed you and your wife would sleep?

A. (a) She did (b) You did (c) It just happened

Q. You've just left the house and she's forgotten her handkerchief. What happens next?

A. (a) You lend her yours (b) She goes back for it (c) She says she'll chance it and sniff

Q. Does he grumble about the meals you cook...

A. (a) All the time (b) Occasionally (c) Never

Q. When hubby takes his shoes off, do you...

A. (a) Not notice (b) Step back (c) Leave the room very quickly

NOW

Q. SHOPPING for clothes when all your bank accounts are empty, how does she pay?

A. (a) Credit card (b) Store card (c) Secret cash hoard

Q. On your first night out, who kissed who first?

A. (a) She did (b) You did (c) Too drunk to remember

Q. You're going out on the town together and the babysitter texts to cancel at the last moment. Does she...

A. (a) Cancel your night out (b) Get her mum round pronto (c) Have an emergency sitter on standby of course

Q. What dressing does he prefer with his salad?

A. (a) Balsamic (b) Olive oil (c) Chips, hold the salad

Q. When he leaves his mobile on the sofa, do you...

A. (a) Put it in his jacket (b) Give it an annoying ringtone (c) Quickly check for suspicious texts

AND THEY USED TO ASK THIS TOO..

Other questions contestants had to face on the early days of series, originally hosted by Alan Taylor and Lynda Thomas:

For Him: When she's putting on her lipstick, does your wife generally apply it to her top lip first, her bottom lip first or does it vary?

You want to go out with the lads. Will your wife stay in by herself, go out with girlfriends/family or demand to come too?

For Her: How often does your husband take a bath? Once a week, more than twice a week or every day?

Which of the seven dwarfs would your husband most resemble in the morning - Happy, Sleepy or Grumpy?

When he's in bed at night, does your husband normally have a handkerchief in his pyjama pocket, does he only have one if he has a cold, or does he never have one?
Mirror

60 SECONDS: Dougray Scott

Scottish actor Dougray Scott made his television debut in an episode of Taggart. He was favourite to play James Bond but lost out to Daniel Craig and also missed out on the role of Wolverine in X-Men to Hugh Jackman when filming overran on Mission: Impossible 2. You can catch him in Desperate Housewives on E4 and in Hitman, which is in cinemas now.

Didn’t you originally want to be a footballer?
Yeah, my dad was a footballer. He played for QPR when he was a teenager. He taught me to play and encouraged me through school matches. I wanted to be like him but I just wasn’t good enough.

What was your parents’ reaction when you told them you wanted to act?
They were very supportive but the careers teacher at school laughed. They told me I couldn’t do that. No one from Fife had become an actor. I had to be very determined. I have that fire within me to achieve what I set out to achieve.

You keep your Scottish accent in the movie. Do you have to tone it down for US audiences?
No, I never had any problem with Mission: Impossible 2, for example, and I was Scottish in that. I read a review where an American critic said: ‘Why is this fine American actor doing a really bad Scottish accent?’ That’s when you realise there’s no point reading reviews.

Did you ever want a career like Brad Pitt, with that level of fame?
I don’t know what kind of career I wanted. I just wanted a diversity of roles. I was offered huge movies again and again but chose to do other films. That’s the way it goes. I was never an actor to be famous.

You’ve turned down big roles? You must drive your agent nuts!
I’m very lucky. My agents understand and believe in me. They say: ‘You can do anything you want. There’s nothing you can’t do.’ And I’m like: ‘OK, I want to do that then.’ Whatever level you are in your career, you’ve got to be humble and very grateful for what you have.

People demand to know what happens. I explain I’m not allowed to tell and they suddenly become aggressive

Do you regret turning anything down?
No, some were out of my hands like X-Men. I was fully committed to playing Wolverine, but then Paramount couldn’t find a way to let me do it. I was doing M:I2. That had nothing to do with me.

How did you end up on Desperate Housewives?
I did a TV show in LA that got cancelled. I was offered others but turned them down. Then Desperate Housewives came up and I thought the character seemed interesting. I was only meant to do six episodes but they asked me to do the whole season. It’s incredibly popular so it opens you up to a wider audience.

What kind of attention have you received?
Ever since I’ve been making films, I’ve been recognised, but not like this. Because you’re in everybody’s home, you are instantly recognised. People demand to know what happens. I explain I’m not allowed to tell them and they suddenly become aggressive.

Is it true you had to beef up for the role?
Not really. Some roles require physical work, whether it’s putting on weight or losing it or if you want to have a particular look. In Desperate Housewives, I was playing an English publisher so being completely buff wouldn’t have been right.

You’ve worked with major movie stars. Are you friends with Tom Cruise?
No. We were friendly during the filming but Tom’s life is so different to mine. He’s a nice guy. He came to my house, we did this and we did that. We got on really well.

Now he’s busy being friends with David Beckham.
I don’t know why he’s playing football in LA. I don’t understand.

What do you think of the Hollywood pressure to stay looking young?
It’s crazy. It’s sad for actors. I can understand why women do it. For guys though, it’s never been a problem. I’m a bit oblivious to it with guys. Someone pointed out an actor I know who’s had some work done. I couldn’t believe they’d had Botox. I’m not saying who.
Metro