Thursday, May 20, 2010

Extra Time

The season six Lost DVD box-set. scheduled for release in September, may include an extended finale, reports have suggested. An ABC source allegedly told TV Guide Magazine that the box-set will feature around twenty minutes of additional footage. 'It's in production now,' the insider claimed. '[Executive producers] Damon [Lindelof] and Carlton [Cuse] wanted to offer fans answers to additional questions they couldn't get to in the body of the final show.'

The BBC have revealed the episode titles for the series finale of Doctor Who. The two-part story is written by The Lord Thy Doctor Steven Moffat (Thou Shalt Worship No Other Gods Before He) and will be broadcast on 19 and 26 June on BBC1. The first episode is called The Pandorica Opens and the second The Big Bang. Alex Kingston will reprise her role as River Song for the finale.

Joanna Page has revealed that she would love to appear in Doctor Who. Recent Internet rumours had claimed that the Gavin & Stacey actress was lined-up to feature in the show but Page has now denied the claims. 'It's not true,' she told the Press Association. 'A friend was telling me about that. I was like, "I wish it was true." I think I've got to be the only Welsh actress who has never been in Doctor Who so if someone would like me to be in Doctor Who I would love the part.'

The BBC has moved this year's Sports Personality Of The Year awards to avoid clashing with The X Factor. According to the Mirror, the broadcaster was disappointed with the two million drop in audience for last year's event, which clashed with the ITV talent show's final. The sports ceremony had 4.7 million viewers when it usually averages around seven million, while The X Factor reached a new series high with 19.1 million for the live Sunday night final. This year's Sports Personality, which will be hosted by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey, has apparently been pushed back to 18 December. A BBC source commented: 'It's not in the viewers' interest to have the two competing.' Well, it's certainly not in the BBC's.

Coronation Street is to be stripped at 9pm for a week for the first time in a bid to garner maximum ratings from Britain's Got Talent. As the soap enters the climax of a dramatic storyline, featuring killer Tony Gordon's dramatic breakout, it will be broadcast in the prime time slot in-between BGT, which will air from 7.30pm to 9.00pm with a special results show at 9.30pm to 10.00pm. The Corrie storyline contains some of the most expensive episodes ever shot and ITV is keen to ensure it secures maximum exposure on ITV and, for the first time, ITV HD between 31 May and 4 June. The soap usually airs five times a week at 7.30pm and 8.30pm Monday and Friday and 8.30pm on Thursdays. The specialised scheduling will see a new format for ratings giant BGT, which last year aired uninterrupted from 9pm until 10.30pm on Monday and 8.30pm to 10pm from Tuesday to Friday. ITV's director of television Peter Fincham said: 'With the live drama of Britain's Got Talent and the explosive return of one of Coronation Street's most notorious villains, it's a huge week for ITV and our viewers.'

Sky News coverage during the election has attracted a total of two thousand six hundred complaints to regulator Ofcom from viewers concerned about its presenters using 'aggressive' tactics The cumulative total number of complaints includes nine hundred and thirty two viewers complaining about the Adam Boulton interview with Alistair Campbell and eight hundred and thirty two complaints about Kay Burley’s handling. A further one hundred and sixty three people complained jointly about both incidents. On 12 May the pair had attracted fourteen hundred complaints but the number is understood to have grown from a week ago due to campaigns on social network sites which have encouraged people to contact Ofcom directly. Viewers have contacted the regulator after feeling the behaviour of the Sky News presenters in both cases was unacceptable. The Sky News Leaders debate also attracted six hundred and sixty nine complaints, following Boulton's alleged 'heckling' of Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. Despite receiving a barrage of complaints about the broadcaster Ofcom underlined it will only take action if it finds that the channel has been in breach of regulations.

The BBC has ordered a tenth series of Rab C Nesbitt. The Sun reports that the channel has asked for six new episodes of the sitcom. The programme stars Gregor Fisher in the eponymous role of the string-vested Glaswegian who spends his life in unemployment. The BBC's Cheryl Taylor, who commissions comedies, said: 'Rab is an enduring and iconic comedy creation.' The show ran from 1990 to 1999 before returning for its ninth series earlier this year. The tenth batch of episodes is expected to broadcast in 2011.

David Baddiel has signed up for a new online Dave show. FC Dave will follow the misfortunes of the FC Dave five-a-side football team and is filmed in a mockumentary style. Baddiel has joined the cast as Dave channel head Steve North. Meanwhile, a competition will search for a real five-a-side football team who will win the name FC Dave and sponsorship from the channel. UKTV's Giles Pooley, who is executive producing the show, said: 'FC Dave is a truly exciting multiplatform project from Dave. The mockumentary series illustrates the passion and love for five-a-side football players in a witty way and we are delighted that the idea captured the imagination of five-a-side fan David Baddiel.'