News in Brief: Cheryl, not so on the ball and goodbye Crimewatch

Another ATV Sunday celebrating the world of showbiz and broadcasting with ATV Today’s Mike Watkins.

Crimewatch runs out of time

The BBC have controversially dropped one of their major ‘public service’ programmes due to declining ratings. Crimewatch has been a staple part of the BBC One schedules for 33-years; with Nick Ross, and his catchphrase ‘Sleep well, and don’t have nightmares’, a stalwart of the series until he was unceremoniously dropped from the information appeal production a decade ago.

The series launched as Crimewatch UK in June 1984 with Ross joined by Sue Cook. Sue left in 1995 and was replaced by the late newsreader Jill Dando following her murder Fiona Bruce joined as co-host. In 2007 the series was given a reboot with Ross and Bruce dispatched from the crime solving format with Kirsty Young and Matthew Amroliwala brought in as new hosts. The most recent revamp in 2015 saw Jeremy Vine brought in to oversee proceedings.

The show reconstructed crimes with acted recreations of the incident, and where possible real CCTV footage, which police aimed to jog viewers memories in order to gain further information on those behind the criminal activity. The daytime version of Crimewatch will continue, below our pictorial tribute to the show which helped solve thousands of crimes, some small, some major but all never intending to provide nightmares.

Original hosts Nick Ross and Sue Cook launched Crimewatch UK in 1984
Jill Dando and Nick Ross hosted Crimewatch together from 1995 to 1999

Kirsty Young took over the show a decade ago

Most recently, in 2015, Jeremy Vine took on the main hosting duties

Quickies…

It wasn’t such a gay day for BBC Radio Kent, who decided to ask whether homosexual conversion therapy is an acceptable practice. The beeb apologised for the blunder by the regional station who tweeted ‘TV Doctor Dr Ranj has told breakfast gay conversion therapy is akin to psychological abuse; Should gay conversion therapy be banned?’ Twitter users criticsied the tweet with the beeb reporting that the Gay Times magazine called it ‘the stupidest question’

“Earlier we tweeted a poll about gay conversion therapy which breached our guidelines. We have removed this and apologise for offence caused.” – BBC Radio Kent


Jenna Jameson ‘has a problem’ with transgender models in Playboy the Metro paper reported on Friday. (Oct 20th). The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant and porno performer told social media followers that “Playboy just announced it will be featuring its first transgender playmate.” She added the hashtag ‘#nothingsacred.’ She later followed up the Twitter comment with ‘I have a problem with it just like I have a problem with a transgender competing against biological women in sports.’ Playboy featured its first transgender model in 1991.


Strictly Livid. Good Morning Britain’s sex god and all round genius Piers Morgan was left ‘livid’ after co-host Charlotte Hawkins was the third to leave the celebrity ballroom dance contest last weekend. Taking to social media he felt the decision was wrong.

“While Charlotte and her professional partner Brendan Cole had ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard with 19 points, Piers felt his colleague didn’t deserve to be sent home and took aim on Twitter.” – The Sun

Morgan told his followers how Hawkins had been improving week on week, and felt new head judge Shirley Ballas – who is getting a mixed reception from viewers too – ‘had it in’ for the couple from the start.


In other Strictly news one of the former professional dancers on the show is set to sue Johnny Ball over comments he made concerning her. Aliona Vilani is seemingly outraged that former Children’s television presenter Johnny Ball made claims she had pretended to fracture her ankle in order to leave the 2012 series of Strictly Come Dancing for a holiday.

“I am aware that Johnny Ball has made allegations regarding my fractured ankle during 2012 SCD, which I strongly deny. I have instructed solicitors and am taking legal advice in relation to his allegations. It’s therefore not appropriate to comment further at this time.” – Vilani statement

The Sun reported how Ball told them last week how he’d claimed Aliona’s injury was rigged and her replacement had then gone onto deliberately choreograph a routine that he knew was way too difficult for him to be able to successfully perform, resulting in his departure from the show. He also noted Aliona’s replacement had only been hired up until just after the edition he’d been voted off from.


Returning to Good Morning Britain and it seems some ITV viewers are vigilant in the mornings – apart from those who watch on the ITV+1 channel and complain the clock is an hour behind. Yes this week eagle-eyed early risers spotted whoever does the daily graphics for the programme made a boob with the alphabet. In a on-screen display listing names of gales and hurricains the R and S were the wrong way round. Amazingly more than this the Daily Star managed to make a full article out of it.


British comedian and actress Meera Syal is to take on the role of Miss Hannigan in Annie in the West End production. What’s On Stage report that ‘Syal will talk on the role from 27 November, through to the show’s conclusion on 18th February 2018.’ The part is currently being played by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood. He took over the part from comedian Miranda Hart in September this year.


Four out of five. That’s how many Spice Girls you can find in the latest music video from Mel C. Sky News reported this week how Mel C enlisted the help of former bandmates Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton and Geri Horner for her latest single Room For Love. Only Mel B was missing from the promo due to ‘not getting round to it’.

“The video merges crowdsourced visuals of Sporty Spice Mel C and her fans, as well as clips of celebrity cameos including contributions from Posh, Ginger and Baby.” – Sky News


Great British Bake Off spin-off series Creme De La Creme, which launched on the BBC in 2016, is also heading to Channel 4 as ‘relations’ between production company Love Productions and the beeb apparently hit an all time low. The shows producers and corporation bosses were in negotiations to keep the show on BBC Two, however it now is also heading to the fourth channel. Creme De La Creme features teams of professional pastry chefs rather than Bake Off’s amateur bakers.


It was also reported this week, by several newspapers how Coronation Street bosses are investigating alleged claims against actor Bruno Langley. ITV Granada bosses at the ITV Studios in Salford were alerted to a complaint from a woman who says Langley ‘acted inappropriately’ towards her after they met in a Manchester bar. Langley plays the gay character of Todd Grimshaw in the long running soap opera. The actor is said to be ‘very upset’ by the suggestions, and denies any wrongdoing.

Good Morning Britain had an ‘alphabet’ gaffe this past week

Katie Price Weekly

Time once more to see what one of our favorite telly personalities has been up to this week. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Antony Cotton and Roxanne Pallett ATV News turns to the one and only – thank God – Katie Price. What’s our darling of the television screen been up to over the past seven days?

This week Katie, the Metro paper report, has given a bit of advice to a fellow media darling. The paper said, “Katie Price has given Chris Hughes a stark warning over their text message feud – stop messing with the Pricey or end up like Gareth Gates.” The newspaper also note she told a gathered audience recently;

‘I lost a baby, found out my husband’s cheating, my mum’s dying then these threats about Harvey. In between, that I’ve got that little t**t Chris Hughes piping up about some messages that I don’t really care about. I will not be called a liar. I wish he will just leave it – who cares? Just don’t call me a liar when I’m not. He’s piping on about it – means you’re guilty… Remember Gareth Gates? He lied and as soon as it came out, his career went downhill.’

Kebab to literary success

Scarlett Moffatt popped into the This Morning studio on Wednesday and told Holly and Phillip how she would treat herself to a kebab every 10,000 words she wrote of her book. Talking about ‘Me Life Story’, she told the Peters and Lee of ITV;

“This is all a bit crazy. I can’t believe I’ve got a book out… It took me half a year to write it. I would get up in the morning and try and write a bit. It was a constant battle with myself about how open and honest to be. I would treat myself to a kebab. 10,000 words and I would be able to treat myself to a kebab!

Scarlett became a popular personality thanks to her appearances on Channel 4’s Gogglebox series. She’s also become a regular on both ITV and Channel 4 following her stint on reality show I’m A Celebrity… which she won the top place of Queen of the Jungle in the 2016 outing. She’s currently host of Streetmate and has been a fixture on the previous series of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

“I’m so grateful. It’s only now I look back. I feel so privileged to have such a loving family.”

She opened up about her happy childhood and revealed how her Granddad had once got her drunk by mistake on pina colada. She spoke about how she loved working in ASDA. But what about future television appearances, will she be slipping into a sequined frock any time soon?

“The thing is I always feel like I like watching people who are on a journey. Also it would be unfair that I’ve already danced.”

Scarlett Moffatt has become in much demand, here promoting Disneyland Paris earlier this year

Soap Stars sleep out for homeless support

Homeless charity Centrepoint hosted a ‘sleep out’ event in Manchester on Thrusday night. Stars from Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks were among more than 100 participants who spent the night in the unheated building and courtyard of the London Road Fire Station, one of the city’s best known historical buildings, which has been generously loaned by Allied London.

The Cooperative Bank, which is supporting Centrepoint through a major charity partnership, sponsored the event with over 90 members of staff from the bank’s head office in Manchester taking part.

Lisa Maxwell, former cast member on The Bill and Hollyoaks, and long-standing Centrepoint ambassador, hosted the evening. Hollyoaks cast members Jimmy Essex (Adam Donovan) and Aisling Jarrett-Gavin (Darcy Wilde) read a bedtime story whilst Tamara Wall (Grace Black) from Hollyoaks was also present.

Soap stars spent the night in Manchester’s London Road Fire Station for charity

Cheryl on having it off

Cheryl, having guest returned to ITV’s The X Factor, spoke this week to The Sun about having time away from the spotlight. The tabloid caught up with Chezza sitting beside her “frenemy” Simon Cowell at a villa in the South of France.

“I hated being pregnant. A lot of stuff went on and I just didn’t enjoy it… [however] I didn’t stop for 14 years — literally on the roller coaster… And then when I got pregnant I thought, ‘Right, I just don’t need this stress.'”- Cheryl Tweedy

Cheryl Tweedy hit the showbiz scene in 2002 after performing on ITV talent show Popstars: The Rivals and became part of pop group Girls Aloud. She’s been hard at it as a solo performer since 2009 and after several scattered romances and marriages Chezza has now settled with former One Direction star Liam Payne. The paper reports it was Cowell who ‘nudged’ the pair together. “One hundred per cent – just call me Cupid.” Cowell noted.

“It’s been actually over a year [since having a showbiz break] but it’s been perfect for me because it’s reset the mind-frame. And I feel actually better coming back. I feel more relaxed.” – Cheryl Tweedy

Blacklisted by Weinstein

Actor Robert Lindsay spoke this week about disgraced Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein. The performer best known in recent years for his role in BBC sitcom My Family, believes he was ‘blacklisted’ from Hollywood productions after protecting a female co-star from Weinstein’s alleged lusting.

The Mirror report how Lindsay was ‘kicked off Oscar-winning movie Shakespeare in Love’ after he defended actress Molly Ringwald from the film boss and apparent sexual predator. The tabloid go on to report how Robert was ‘working with Molly on 1990 film Strike It Rich, when he took action to protect her from Weinstein to the detriment of his stateside career.

“Because I confronted him he basically halted my film career…  When I confronted him little did I know the impact on my career. Having been cast in Shakespeare In Love he told the director NO Lindsay… Harvey Weinstein represented everything I came to hate about movie; if he owned a movie he owned everyone in it” – Robert Lindsay on social media

Robert Lindsay has appeared in numerous movies, including Film4’s GBH

Remembering…

It was goodbye to popular comedian and telly personality Sean Hughes this week. The Irish actor and writer died aged 51. He was best known for his own Channel 4 programme Sean’s Show and as a team captain on music quiz series Never Mind The Buzzcocks. It was also farewell to Kevin Cadle. The basketball coach and NFL TV presenter died aged 62 while stateside actor Brent Briscoe passed away aged 56. He was known for roles in Sling Blade, A Simple Plan and television drama Twin Peaks.

It was also the week in which Roy Dotrice left us aged 94. Guernsey-born Roy was known for many roles over his acting career with Leopold Mozart in the Oscar-winning film Amadeus, possibly his best known role and farewell to actress Rosemary Leach who passed aged 81.

Never Mind The Tribute…

The team behind Never Mind The Buzzcocks put together this eleven minute montage of moments with Sean Hughes in tribute to the comedian following his death, we’ll leave you with it this week..


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