April 5th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
I think we’ll all remember Big Brother’s final moments when it completed its 10 year run on Channel 4 last year. After all, it brought a lot of good to the world, and society, and God and Jesus and all of that. I think this was signified solely in Davina McCall’s despairing, teary eyes and Brian Dowling’s extra 10% of face. The image was positively apocalyptic. A bit like when The Mint ended on ITV. Actually a lot like that, but with slightly more of Brian Dowling’s face. It was also a bit like that time when Brian’s Boyfriends ended on ITV2, but with slightly more of Brian Dowling’s face.
And like my dad once said to me post-job interview at a milkshake shop “Now, remember. It’s not the failure that matters; it’s how you react to failure that counts.” Which as you can imagine, was more than comforting.
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January 30th, 2011 by Sarah.
Broadcast magazine have reported today that talks between Channel Five executives and Endelmol UK have progressed so far that a deal for airing Big Brother is just “weeks away.”
Big Brother has of course traditionally been aired on Channel 4, but 2010 saw the end of the show on that channel.
Since then, it’s understood that Richard Desmond, the owner of Five, has been negotiating a deal to reprise the show on Channel Five. Read more & comment »
July 14th, 2010 by Sarah.
Ex-EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite has stated that she thinks the X Factor is “too much about the judges.”
Tamzin, who’s a judge on Channel Five’s star search show, Don’t Stop Believin’ told The Sun, “I love The X Factor, but I don’t want our show to be all about us four.
“It has to be about the talent. This is a very different programme.” Read more & comment »
July 10th, 2010 by Sarah.
According to The Sun, singer and presenter Emma Bunton worries that she may fall on the set of new reality TV show, Don’t Stop Believin’ when the show airs live on channel Five.
She told the paper,: “The main thing that I worry about is falling over, or tripping over the dress.
“I’m such a klutz – and I always wear very high heels.
“If something goes wrong, I want to be comfortable enough that I can go with it and laugh it off. It’s always good to have nerves, it gives you adrenaline… Read more & comment »
March 18th, 2010 by Sarah.
It seems that channel Five are set to cash in on Glee mania – while adding a dash of X Factor – for a new show that’s to be entitled, Don’t Stop Believing.
Handily for the show’s makers, Don’t Stop Believing – originally by Journey – was a hit for both E4’s Glee and Joe McElderry on X Factor.
The show will feature groups who will perform for the show’s judges and the TV audience of course, and will be voted off by viewers until one group wins.
Press reports state that Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly is tipped as being a serious contender to host the show, but the Press Association states that Corrie actress Kym Marsh and ex-EastEnders star Martin McCutcheon are also “in the running.” Read more & comment »
June 10th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Paul Merton reveals the mysteries of China to British viewers in this new four-part travel documentary series. He will be casting a wryly observant eye on the new cultural revolution taking place in China as he explores a country that is home to one in four human beings on the planet and has the fastest growing economy in the world. Each episode will see Merton giving his unique take on this vast country that is still associated in people’s minds with Chairman Mao and The Great Wall.
This week Paul arrives in Shanghai, China’s most dynamic and moneyed city. He has dinner with powerful socialites and visits a park where hundreds of parents gather to find a match for their sons or daughters. Being a wealthy westerner, it’s not long before Paul attracts quite a lot of interest.
Monday 11th June, Channel Five
May 27th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Paul Merton reveals the mysteries of China to British viewers in this new four-part travel documentary series. He will be casting a wryly observant eye on the new cultural revolution taking place in China as he explores a country that is home to one in four human beings on the planet and has the fastest growing economy in the world. Each episode will see Merton giving his unique take on this vast country that is still associated in people’s minds with Chairman Mao and The Great Wall. Read more & comment »
May 18th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Comedian Paul Merton ventures into the unknown as he embarks upon a six-week tour of China for Five. Paul’s trip will take in the major cities of China, as well some of the most breathtaking countryside and remote backwaters that this vast country has to offer. In his own inimitable style, Paul will attempt to unravel the deep mysteries and baffling contradictions of this ancient country.
In the taxi from Beijing airport, Paul explains his long-standing desire to visit the world’s next superpower: “With the Olympic Games coming up, this is a really good, exciting time to come,” he says. A challenge soon presents itself, however, when Paul realises that his driver has no idea as to the location of his hotel. “I have a sneaking suspicion my driver only arrived in Beijing ten minutes before I did,” he says.
After eventually finding his hotel, Paul kicks off his trip with a visit to a night market – where he is confronted with an array of unidentifiable food. Later, in a speciality restaurant, he is called upon to sample a particular part of a male donkey that he would rather leave alone. Read more & comment »
March 15th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
This eye-opening documentary follows five different families with one thing in common – all of them have more than ten children. Over the course of the documentary, we find out why each family chose to keep having children, and how they coped with the often bizarre living arrangements. We also get to grips with why some families who already have 12 children, are determined to have more, despite contrary medical advice and problems with conception. We are also made acutely aware of the trauma and financial difficulties experienced when one of the families is suddenly left without a father.
Pete and Tracy from Bournemouth have been married for 23 years and have 13 children. Although they wouldn’t change their situation for the world, Pete admits that it is “a total financial nightmare” involving relentless forward planning. It is also hard to grab a peaceful moment, says Charles, the couple’s only son. “It does get really loud,” he says cheerfully. To keep the household running smoothly, Tracy spends at least 40 hours a week doing housework. “We’re like the manager and manageress of a hotel,” she grins. Read more & comment »
March 6th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
This series of observational documentaries explores a variety of complex medical conditions and treatments at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital. Cameras follow 13 children and their families as doctors diagnose and treat their conditions using cutting-edge techniques. In this programme, we meet seven-year-old Kyle, who has an extremely rare immunodeficiency disease, and 17-year-old Leanne, who suffers from pulmonary hypertension.
Young Kyle’s condition, CD40 ligand deficiency, is found in only one in a million male births. It makes him highly susceptible to infection, and his lungs and liver have already been damaged. But Great Ormond Street now offers the hope of a cure, in the form of a bone-marrow transplant. A matching volunteer donor has been found and hopes are high, but there is no getting away from the fact that this will be a risky procedure. “We’ve given him a 50% chance of success, which is not good,” admits consultant Paul Veys. Read more & comment »
