Actor Danny Horn has been cast in this year's Doctor Who Christmas episode. Katherine Jenkins, who will star alongside Michael Gambon in the special, revealed on Twitter that the North London-based performer will also feature. 
She wrote: 'Pls [sic] follow my friend Danny Horn who is also in the Doctor Who Xmas Special. Tho [sic] we can't tell you what he does/is or we'll have to kill you! [sic]' Horn messaged Jenkins to say: 'Hello! I've unblocked myself so you we can do "twitting." Hung out with Gambon today - so cool.' It is this blogger's hope that the pair of them actually did some, you know, acting, between all this twatterisation frivolity. Horn had previously written: 'Hour and thirteen minutes until I get picked up for an adventure with the Doctor. I'm so nervous. Back to The TARDIS I go, this time for Christmas Dinner. Six hours of eating Christmas dinner with The Doctor. WHO'S COMPLAINING?' Well, you by the sound of it. Wasn't the world so much simpler, dear blog reader, when you got your casting announcements via a BBC press release rather than this twittery malarkey?
Details of the upcoming Doctor Who series five DVD and Blu-ray boxsets have been revealed. The sets will reportedly include specially-filmed scenes revealing what happened in the TARDIS between episodes. Other features include a video diary recorded throughout filming of the thirteen episodes by Matt Smith, special 'cut-down' editions of behind-the-scenes show Doctor Who Confidential and the 'Monster Diaries' featurettes previously available on the individual DVD releases. Both versions of the boxset will be released on 8 November just in time for the show's forty seventh anniversary and will be priced £69.99 (for DVD) and £79.99 (for Blu-ray). But, if you shop around you'll almost certainly be able to get them a hell of a lot cheaper than that.
Matt Smith, meanwhile, tearing himself always from Christmas dinner with Danny Horn, has admitted that he is nervous about this weekend's Doctor Who proms. Ah, nowt to it Matt, baby. You just go out on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in front of a couple of thousand screaming children and perform.
It's a bit like Glastonbury with Orbital. Only smaller. And, less funny glasses with the lights on them. The concerts will be hosted by Smith along with his co-stars Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill. Daleks, Weeping Angels and the TARDIS its very self are all expected to feature in the events. Meanwhile, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, who record the show's soundtrack, will perform Murray Gold's music from the series as well as various classical pieces. '[The proms are] utterly nerve-wracking,' Smith said. 'I think that Murray Gold is incredible, totally incredibly - a genius - and to hear all that in the Royal Albert Hall will just be one of the most soaring experiences.' The first concert will be held on Saturday at 7.30pm, while Sunday's Doctor Who prom will begin at 11am. More than one thousand standing tickets will be released on the day.
Sherlock writer The Lord Thy God Steven Moffat (Thou Shalt Worship No Other Gods Before He) has compared the show's modern-day update of Holmes to the James Bond film series. In an interview with Den of Geek, Moffat compared the new version of the famous detective to the 2006 Bond movie Casino Royale. The film took place in the present-day despite the original Ian Fleming novel being written and set in 1953. '[It's] like James Bond,' Moffat argued. 'We're all going around saying that [the film of] Casino Royale was a very authentic adaptation of the book, which in many ways it was. But it's set in the modern day! No one thinks about that.' The showrunner explained that Sherlock still feels authentic, despite the change in time period. 'We didn't take anything out,' he said. 'We're actually quite thorough about our Sherlock Holmes. There's very, very little you have to change at all to put Sherlock Holmes in the modern day.'
This year's Celebrity MasterChef kicked off tonight with a hilarious opening episode in which Olympic javelin champion Tessa Sanderson proved that not all women are good cooks!
The look on poor Gregg Wallace's face when she presented him with virtually raw chicken was a sight to see. Yer Keith Telly Topping thought that the taste test was a bit rough, mind - John Torode whipped up a quite beautiful-looking cheese and mushroom omelette but marked down all of the celebrities who weren't able to identify which, specific, cheese it was! That's just mean. Mind you, I could've cheerfully eaten Neil Stuke's pear tatin till the cows came home.
ITV has commissioned a supernatural drama starring Alex Kingston. The Doctor Who actress and Wired star Jodie Whittaker will lead the cast of The Oaks, which is described as 'gripping.' In the press release admittedly. Well, they're hardly going to describe it a 'a pile of shit' are they? The five-part drama, written by Stephen Greenhorn (Glasgow Kiss), will tell the story of three different families living in the same house over several decades: the 1960s, 1980s and present day.
The families are linked by the spirit of a young girl, the daughter of the 1960s family who died in mysterious circumstances. Kingston and Whittaker are joined by cast members including Ashes To Ashes star Dean Andrews, Shelley Conn (Mistresses), Elliot Cowan (The Fixer), the great Denis Lawson, Jamie Thomas King (The Tudors) and Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses). 'The Oaks is a really original concept that blends relationship drama with an atmospheric ghost story,' said Laura Mackie of ITV's drama commissioning team. 'Stephen’s scripts are compellingly written and this is a very distinctive drama to add to our slate.' Executive Producer Kate Lewis added: 'This is a strongly authored, ambitious piece and we’re thrilled to have such an exciting and talented cast on board.' The show is the first commission from the creative collaboration between ITVS and FOX and is based on an original US pilot from David Schulner. A ten-week shoot on location around London is currently under way.
An advert for bookmakers Paddy Power in which a cat appears to be kicked across a football pitch by a blind player will remain on screen despite more than one thousand complaints, a watchdog has said. The television advert, previously discussed on this very blog here opens with a shot of a kitbag marked 'Blind Wanderers FC' and two teams of blindfolded men in the middle of a five-a-side game. A cat is shown running on to the pitch before a player takes a kick, followed by the sound of a thud and a loud meow. A man in a suit then appears on the pitch and says: 'Paddy Power can't get Tiddles back, there's nothing we can do about that, but we can get you your money back with our money-back specials.'
The Advertising Standards Authority said one thousand and eighty nine viewers had complained about the advert in total, with two hundred and twenty complaints that it was offensive to blind people and one thousand and seventy claims that it could encourage or condone cruelty to animals. Some viewers complained about both issues simultaneously. Paddy Power said that the advert featured an action 'so unlikely that it was absurd.' They added that they chose a blind football match as it enabled them to promote and create awareness of a lesser-known sport in the year in which the World Blind Football Championships were to take place. The company provided a letter from the manager of the England Blind Football Team, who supported the advert's concept and stated that all of the players featured were actual blind football players, many of whom had represented the England national side. It said the advert did not show the cat being kicked or suffering any violence or cruelty whatsoever and that the animal was clearly - and deliberately - shown to be unharmed at the end of the item. The ASA did not uphold the complaints, saying it was not offensive or disrespectful in itself to create an advert referring to or involving people with a disability. It said: 'We noted that the ad featured and was supported by members of the England Blind Football Team, and showed blind people enjoying a game of football. We considered that the action in the ad would be interpreted by most viewers as a humorous depiction of a fictional situation. We considered it was unlikely to be seen by most viewers as malicious or to imply that blind people were likely to cause harm to animals whilst playing football.' And, as previously noted, the shite some people chose to care about continues to baffle and sadden this blogger.
Channel 4 has confirmed that there will be no eviction on this Friday's Big Brother live show. Following the departure of Caoimhe yesterday and Keeley's absence with a leg injury, the producers have cancelled this week's public vote. Corin, Keeley and Rachel were the three housemates facing the axe.
The trio's 'Save and Replace' task was pulled yesterday evening after Keeley injured herself during the spider in a bathtub challenge. In a statement, a Channel 4 representative said: 'Due to Caoimhe's departure and Keeley's absence from the House, this week's nominations have been deemed null and void. Therefore this Friday's eviction has been cancelled. Friday's show will now include Davina's interview with Caoimhe, the results of this week's shopping task - including a special performance by some of the housemates - as well as all the action from the last twenty hours in the House.' However, it now appears that the last-minute live show has also been cancelled as Davina McCall is currently stranded in France due to a strike by French air traffic controllers. You couldn't make it up, could you?
A former crew member on FOX medical drama House has filed a lawsuit against the show, claiming that he was unfairly dismissed. TMZ reports that Carl Jones, an assistant prop master, claims he was fired from the series when he refused to join his two supervisors in a variety of inappropriate acts.
The suit alleges Jones was harassed by the pair for refusing to engage in 'visits to strip bars, participation in getting drunk, stoned or intoxicated on cocaine, to participate in sexual conduct at the trailer, and other dangerous conduct.' He also accused the supervisors of drinking alcohol on set and behaving dangerously with knives and guns. Jones alleges that unwilling crew members were frequently referred to as 'bitches, slaves, dummies, retards and idiots' among other insults. His attempts to report the alleged misconduct to one of the show's co-executive producers reportedly led to his dismissal. The suit is believed to be for more than one million dollars in damages. Universal - which produces House - refused to comment on the matter.
Glenn Close has revealed that she is pleased Damages has been renewed. The show had been close to cancellation, but DirecTV announced earlier this week that it has ordered two new seasons. Close, who plays Patty Hewes, has now told Entertainment Tonight that she is pleased with the news. 'It's very exciting to still be teamed with KZK [Productions] and Rose while going into new territory with DirecTV,' she said. 'Damages is a great ride and Patty is a character who continues to fascinate me. I'm proud of the show and grateful for Sony's undying support.'
Christina Applegate has admitted that she has no plans to return to television.
The actress hinted that the cancellation of her show Samantha Who?, which she also produced, has put her off appearing on the small screen. 'I loved my show so much, so it's going to be hard to find something I'm going to attach myself to at this point,' she told Access Hollywood. 'It's really hard to leave kind of a perfect situation and perfect character that you just fall so in love with.' Applegate's new film Going The Distance, which stars Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, is scheduled for release in August.
The producers of hit ABC comedy Modern Family have expressed their disappointment at Christina Applegate's former screen-dad, Ed O'Neill, failing to receive an Emmy nomination. While O'Neill's co-stars Eric Stonestreet, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara were all nominated, the former Married... With Children star was not. Dan O'Shannon told Zap2It.com: 'Sadly, the unsung hero is Ed O'Neill. I think some of the stuff that's really great about him is sometimes maybe overlooked in the bigger comedy of the other characters.
But he just really holds the show down.' Fellow producer Bill Wrubel agreed: 'He never feels the need to be the centre of a scene. He's happy to kind of just do his line and react. His generosity on stage was really eye-opening. And he's super-fun to write for, because his delivery is just perfect every time.' Wrubel added that he is keen for the Emmys to introduce an award for ensemble acting, similar to that offered by the Screen Actors Guild awards. '[That would be good] not just for our show, but for all the other shows on television. TV shows are so much about their unit,' he said. Co-creator Steven Levitan also backed the suggestion, saying: 'I think that would be incredible. I think it's a great idea, and I love that award [at the SAG Awards]. It is an ensemble, and it's very hard to pick out who the standouts are.'
Bones creator Hart Hanson has announced that the cast have started filming the sixth season. Writing on his Twitter page, Hanson admitted that he is thrilled about working on the show again. 'FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING, SEASON SIX, BONES!' he yelled.
'You can tell I'm excited by the capital letters. Or crazy. [David Boreanaz] already made me snort coffee.' Is that entirely legal? He added: 'I didn't snort coffee on a dare. It was because DB made me laugh while I was taking a demur sip [sic]. It's a sport with him.' TJ Thyne, who plays Jack Hodgins, also revealed that he is pleased he is back at work. 'And it begins,' he wrote. 'The laughter on stage six is already audible across the lot to House. We are home. And oooo do we have good scenes for ya! [sic]' Does anybody actually do any work on TV sets now, or do they all spend their time twattering?
Shoshannah Stern has reportedly joined the cast of Lie To Me.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the former Jericho star has landed a recurring role in the upcoming third season. Stern is expected to play a student who is hired to help Tim Roth's character Cal Lightman with a book he's writing. Lightman allegedly warms to Stern's character despite his colleagues' fears that her deafness will cause problems.
Angela Griffin has revealed that she is currently filming scenes for Hustle. Writing on her Twitter page - see what I mean?! They're all at it! - Griffin explained that she is enjoying working on the BBC show. 'First day filming on Hustle,' she said. 'Bloody loving it.' However, Griffin refused to reveal many details about her role, saying: 'Won't give too much away... But I'm a Brummie bitch!' It is not yet clear when the seventh series of Hustle will be broadcast.
Marti Noxon has compared her experiences writing for Mad Men to a return to writing school. Noxon - known for her work on Buffy, Angel and Prison Break - admitted that working on the AMC drama had been a learning experience.
'It was amazing,' she told Collider. 'It was kind of like going back to writing school in a way because so much [on the show] lives in subtlety and writing away from the point or theme.' She added: 'It's so sharp [and] so well-crafted that it took me back to really writing from character, really trying to be truthful. It was really refreshing.' Noxon praised the programme's pacing and structure, explaining that her stint on the show had helped improve her writing abilities. 'It's slower than most TV right now,' she said. 'It's slower-paced, it takes its time. All of that was really good for me as a writer.' She also revealed that creator Matthew Weiner warned staff not to spoil the show by leaking future plot developments. 'We were under a gag order, we could not talk about it at all,' she explained.
A representative for Tom Cruise has denied that the small Hollywood actor is planning to appear in a reality TV show about his family life. It was previously reported that Cruise had already begun filming actress wife Katie Holmes and their daughter Suri at home. The actor was said to be keen to portray his family as 'normal.' If, you know, small. According to Grazia magazine, he was also allegedly 'fielding offers from entertainment companies' for the footage. However, a representative for Cruise has now allegedly revealed to Gossip Cop that the report 'is made up out of thin air.' Oh, the Daily Star. I've got ya. He also called it 'a joke.' Cruise's Knight and Day co-star, Cameron Diaz recently, praised his relationship with his wife and daughter.
Comedian Stewart Lee is not reportedly amused by an online vote to find a 'comedy God' among the past winners of (and nominees for) the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award and its predecessor, the Perrier.
The poll to celebrate the award's thirtieth year is, Lee suggests in an e-mail to its publicist Anna Arthur - which somehow found its way to the comedy website Chortle - 'the most shameful, inane thing I have seen in all the years I have been doing the [Edinburgh] Fringe.' The awards have, Lee goes on to suggest, been criticised previously for the developing world policies of Perrier's parent company Nestlé, among other things. Moreover, 'It is not possible for the outcome of this poll to have any credibility. How dare you proceed with this farcical, selfish idea? Corporate whores. Morons. Illiterates. Your cynicism is breathtaking.' Et cetera. And, again, we have an example of the utterly worthless crap that some people chose to care about. This aversion to polls, of course, didn't apparently stop Stewart from appearing as a - quite entertaining - talking head on the Channel 4 show, The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups (which was decided by a public vote) and then from naming his own subsequent 2008 stand-up tour The Forty First Best Stand Up Ever. Maybe it's just the Nestlé thing, then?
Conrad Black, the disgraced former media mogul jailed for fraud two years ago, was ordered to be released on bail this morning while a US judge decided whether to overturn his conviction. Bail was set at two million dollars. But before Black can go free, he must first appear in the Chicago court that ordered his release. He is less than one-third of the way through a six-and-a-half-year sentence. The district court is examining Black's appeal, which was triggered by a ruling last week by the US supreme court weakening the 'honest services' law, which was central to his conviction. Judge Amy St Eve is to decide whether to overturn Black's conviction in whole or in part, leaving prosecutors to determine whether to retry him.
If they decide against doing so, Black would remain free. The federal appeals court, which granted him bail on Monday, could also dismiss the fraud charge and keep the obstruction of justice count, thereby ordering St Eve to hold a new sentencing hearing. Whatever happens, the former tycoon is facing an enormous financial penalty because of mounting legal fees, according to the Globe and Mail newspaper. The paper quoted 'sources' allegedly familiar with Black's former Hollinger empire as saying that an insurance policy which covered millions of dollars in legal fees had been wound up, leaving him facing a steep bill. Black still faces charges filed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, a case that has stalled pending the outcome of the criminal case. He is also facing allegations from the US Internal Revenue Service that he owes seventy million dollars in unpaid taxes and penalties, the Globe and Mail reported. A number of other cases, including libel charges against former Hollinger officials, are currently working their way through the courts. 'He will have to fund his litigation out of his own pocket,' said Eugene Fox, a partner with Connecticut-based Cardinal Capital, which lost money after investing in Hollinger International. 'Maybe now we will finally be able to see how wealthy he really is,' Fox told the Globe and Mail.
The BBC has responded to complaints from EastEnders viewers unhappy with the treatment of the Qu'ran in recent episodes. In a statement, the corporation confirmed that viewers have complained about the way Syed Masood (Marc Elliott) had slammed down the Qu'ran. 'As regular viewers will know, Syed has been struggling to come to terms with his sexuality for some time now,' the BBC said.
'Desperate not to lose his family, Syed is trying to suppress his homosexuality and has vowed to read and learn from the Qu'ran in an attempt to reconnect with his Muslim faith, hoping that this will help him in his quest. Feeling unable to reconcile his feelings for another man with his religious beliefs, Syed slams down the Qu'ran in frustration.' The statement added: 'It was not intended to be a disrespectful act, rather a totally spontaneous one, symbolic of Syed's utter confusion and frustration at what feels like an impossible situation. It wasn't our intention to cause any offence.' Last week, the BBC dismissed complaints that an ongoing EastEnders storyline featuring Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet) is offensive to Christians.
Did you know, dear blog reader, that the concept of electronic tagging was first developed in the early 1960s when Ralph Kirkland Schwitzgebel headed a research team at Harvard which experimented with a prototype electronic monitoring system to locate and send two-way radio signals to juvenile offenders.
As viewers of Qi will know in 1983 a New Mexico district court judge, the fabulously named Jack Love ('Ah'll go to jail for yew, Judge Lurrrrrv!') persuaded Michael Goss, a computer salesperson, to develop a electronic system to monitor five offenders in Albuquerque. Judge Love was, supposedly, inspired to act based upon a storyline in a Spider-Man comic, specifically the newspaper comic strip version where the Kingpin put an electronic bracelet on the superhero to follow his movements. This was probably the first court-sanctioned use of electronic monitoring. Isn't that brilliant?
Will the last GMTV presenter left kindly turn out the light on their way out? Richard Arnold and Carla Romano will not be involved in GMTV's rebranding as Daybreak. The duo, who have worked on the ITV breakfast show for a decade, are not part of the new editorial team, which is being headed up by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley. TV reporter Arnold commented: 'I am very happy to take a break from getting up every day at the crack of the sparrows cough! Having said that it has been a craic every day for ten years and I very much look forward to the exciting projects ahead.' Writing on Twitter, inevitably, he added: 'I'm leaving GMTV after ten years - still with a glossy barnet and my own teeth! Will pop up on Daybreak so tweet away! You stars!' Romano said: 'I can honestly say that the last ten years at GMTV have been like a rollercoaster. Exciting, scary, hilarious and unpredictable. But most of all never dull. Here in LA I have interviewed and got to know some of the world’s biggest stars, in fact I think I've managed to get through all of them! But Hollywood has become my home and, given my personal ties here, this is where I need to be at the moment. It is time to start a new chapter and to explore opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic. I wish GMTV all the best in the future and hope that it continues to be the best that it is.' Director of factual, daytime and GMTV Alison Sharman said that the duo have been 'a vital part' of GMTV over the last ten years. But that, like all of the other 'vital parts' - apart from Lorraine Kelly and Kate Garraway - they were now no longer needed and could they kindly bugger off before Adrian and Christine rock up. 'I would like to thank them for the great contribution they have made to the show,' she said. 'I wish them good luck with the new projects they will be taking on.'
Two French international footballers have been charged with having sex with an under-age prostitute. Franck Ribery, twenty seven, and Karim Benzema, twenty two, who have both been linked with moves to Premier League clubs, could face up to three years in jail if the case goes to trial. The indictments are the first stage of an investigation launched by magistrates intent on cracking down on an alleged celebrity vice-ring in Paris. Detectives bugged the Zaman Cafe, a pricey nightclub just off the Champs Elysees, which they suspected of giving clients access to minors working as call girls. Four people - including the club's owner, a waiter and a man suspected of pimping girls to celebrities and sportsmen - have been placed under investigation and could also face trial.
Ribery, whose twenty two-year-old brother has also been charged in the sting, arrived at the Palace of Justice in Paris in handcuffs but was freed without preconditions after the hearing. His lawyer Sophie Bottai expressed surprise at the charge, saying: 'The only thing that's new since the last time he was questioned is that the World Cup is over and he played badly. There's not a single element of physical proof,' she added. 'This woman told them she was of age, was all made up, dressed up, appeared very switched on.' The Bayern Munich winger has never denied paying for sex with the young woman at the centre of the scandal, Zahia Dehar, who is now eighteen years and four months old. Adult prostitution is in itself legal in France, but pimping, solicitation and running organised vice networks are banned. The country's general age of consent is fifteen years, but in the case of prostitution a young person remains legally a minor until he or she reaches eighteen.
The government is expected tomorrow to formally reject a review panel's recommendation that an extended list of major sporting events, including England's home Ashes cricket series against Australia, be made available on free-to-air television. Hugh Robertson, the sports minister, a critic of the review when in opposition, is expected to say that the England and Wales Cricket Board and other sports governing bodies should retain the freedom to sell their rights to the highest bidding broadcaster.
A rejected Britain's Got Talent contestant today began her bid to sue Simon Cowell, claiming that he and the other star judges took away her 'self respect and dignity.' Emma Amelia Pearl Czikai, fifty three, says that she was 'humiliated and degraded' by Cowell and fellow judge Amanda Holden who told her she could not sing. They added that she had a 'horrible voice' during auditions for the hit ITV show in May last year. Piers Morgan was the first judge to buzz her out and Cowell followed closely behind before she even finished the first three words of power ballad 'You Raise Me Up' on two separate attempts. On her third go, Amanda Holden let her get a little further. But Miss Czikai's dreams of stardom were crushed to a million tiny fragments by a third buzzer as she reached the chorus. 'Emma, Emma, reality check here, it's not the music; it's not the microphone; it's you,' Cowell apparently told her. Czikai claims that her performance was impeded by a number of medical conditions. These, she says, can cause head and shoulder pain and affect her ability to hear her own voice in a noisy environment. She also claims that staff at the show ignored her requests to sing early because of her disabilities which, she alleges, leave her exhausted and, also, to lower the music and microphone levels. She has now begun an attempt to get an employment tribunal to hear her claim of disability discrimination. At a pre-tribunal review in London this week, she said: 'I am certainly not prepared to be humiliated. Because I have these illnesses singing is all I can do for my future and therefore it is important for me not to have thirteen to twenty million people all over the world thinking I cannot sing.
It is quite upsetting to be regarded as a failure and to be targeted and mocked. I have been ridiculed, mocked and hated. I have had my self-respect and dignity taken from me unfairly and been humiliated on a daily basis. It was the microphone. It was the music. I have not got a horrible singing voice when I am in a fair environment that meets my disabilities as I proved on Britian's Got More Talent.' Czikai, from Sutton Coldfield is pursuing her claim against the show and one of Cowell's companies Simco Limited. She said contestants were routinely humiliated, bullied into saying things they didn't mean and goaded to become angry and frustrated to 'make good television.' Meanwhile she saw 'servants' walking through with platters of lobster, seafood and caviar which she was told was for Ms Holden, Morgan and Cowell. You mean, they have catering? The utter bastards! Czikai - who is representing herself - also claimed that she had suffered 'ongoing harassment' because a later improved performance on spin-off show Britain's Got More Talent was not linked to the original clip on YouTube to prove she could sing. 'Britain's Got Talent have sought to accrue profit to themselves through exploitation of a film clip that they know perpetrates a lie that I cannot sing.' Breaking down in tears she added: 'This programme makes a select number of rich people very very rich on the backs of the ordinary man and woman in the street through exploitation, humiliation, degradation and a re-emergence of modern-day barbarism with all its inherent cruelty.' Yep. That would appear to be about the size of it. She has lodged the action on the basis that by taking part in BGT she was was auditioning for a 'job' on the roadshow and did not view it as a talent programme. Instead, she claims, it was a way to launch her dream of a singing career. She suggested that the panel conditions on BGT were like 'slave labour' which left her exhausted before she even reached the stage. 'Despite fifteen years in the singing industry I have never experienced anything like the BGT setting which is more like a drunken night out on the karaoke than a Royal Variety show setting,' she said. Thomas Linden QC, representing Simco Limited, said that they were opposing Czikai's right to have a full hearing. This was on the basis that BGT was not an employer, that the staff had any prior knowledge of her disabilities, and whether posting a clip on the Internet constituted on-going harassment, he said. He also disputed Czikai's claim on the basis that it was lodged too late. The hearing continues. And is currently being reported upon, eagerly, by most national newspapers who seem to find it all vastly entertaining. Personally, I think it's rather sad. And vastly entertaining.
Katie Price is reportedly considering legal action against Kerry Katona. According to the Mirror, Price is at the 'end of her tether' after Katona recently insulted her appearance. The glamour model is also said to be upset that Katona attended a barbecue hosted by her ex-husband Peter Andre when her children were present.
A source told the newspaper: 'Katie doesn't want her kids to be near Kerry. What with Kerry attacking her in magazine articles - not to mention her dubious track record - she's the last person she wants her kids to be socialising with.' Price is said to be 'bemused' by Katona choosing to 'stick her oar' into her life and reportedly told her friends: 'Pot. Kettle. Black.' I don't think that's the basis for a legal claim, Katie chuck although you're probably able to afford lawyers who'll tell you that it is. So you know, good luck with that. Another 'source' allegedly told the newspaper: 'Kate is bemused that Kerry keeps namedropping her in articles. It's really sad that she hasn't got anything original to say of her own.' It's Kerry Katona, what do you expect? 'It seems the only way she can get publicity is by talking about Kate.' Well, it's either that or getting sacked by Iceland, I guess.
She wrote: 'Pls [sic] follow my friend Danny Horn who is also in the Doctor Who Xmas Special. Tho [sic] we can't tell you what he does/is or we'll have to kill you! [sic]' Horn messaged Jenkins to say: 'Hello! I've unblocked myself so you we can do "twitting." Hung out with Gambon today - so cool.' It is this blogger's hope that the pair of them actually did some, you know, acting, between all this twatterisation frivolity. Horn had previously written: 'Hour and thirteen minutes until I get picked up for an adventure with the Doctor. I'm so nervous. Back to The TARDIS I go, this time for Christmas Dinner. Six hours of eating Christmas dinner with The Doctor. WHO'S COMPLAINING?' Well, you by the sound of it. Wasn't the world so much simpler, dear blog reader, when you got your casting announcements via a BBC press release rather than this twittery malarkey?Details of the upcoming Doctor Who series five DVD and Blu-ray boxsets have been revealed. The sets will reportedly include specially-filmed scenes revealing what happened in the TARDIS between episodes. Other features include a video diary recorded throughout filming of the thirteen episodes by Matt Smith, special 'cut-down' editions of behind-the-scenes show Doctor Who Confidential and the 'Monster Diaries' featurettes previously available on the individual DVD releases. Both versions of the boxset will be released on 8 November just in time for the show's forty seventh anniversary and will be priced £69.99 (for DVD) and £79.99 (for Blu-ray). But, if you shop around you'll almost certainly be able to get them a hell of a lot cheaper than that.
Matt Smith, meanwhile, tearing himself always from Christmas dinner with Danny Horn, has admitted that he is nervous about this weekend's Doctor Who proms. Ah, nowt to it Matt, baby. You just go out on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in front of a couple of thousand screaming children and perform.
It's a bit like Glastonbury with Orbital. Only smaller. And, less funny glasses with the lights on them. The concerts will be hosted by Smith along with his co-stars Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill. Daleks, Weeping Angels and the TARDIS its very self are all expected to feature in the events. Meanwhile, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, who record the show's soundtrack, will perform Murray Gold's music from the series as well as various classical pieces. '[The proms are] utterly nerve-wracking,' Smith said. 'I think that Murray Gold is incredible, totally incredibly - a genius - and to hear all that in the Royal Albert Hall will just be one of the most soaring experiences.' The first concert will be held on Saturday at 7.30pm, while Sunday's Doctor Who prom will begin at 11am. More than one thousand standing tickets will be released on the day.Sherlock writer The Lord Thy God Steven Moffat (Thou Shalt Worship No Other Gods Before He) has compared the show's modern-day update of Holmes to the James Bond film series. In an interview with Den of Geek, Moffat compared the new version of the famous detective to the 2006 Bond movie Casino Royale. The film took place in the present-day despite the original Ian Fleming novel being written and set in 1953. '[It's] like James Bond,' Moffat argued. 'We're all going around saying that [the film of] Casino Royale was a very authentic adaptation of the book, which in many ways it was. But it's set in the modern day! No one thinks about that.' The showrunner explained that Sherlock still feels authentic, despite the change in time period. 'We didn't take anything out,' he said. 'We're actually quite thorough about our Sherlock Holmes. There's very, very little you have to change at all to put Sherlock Holmes in the modern day.'
This year's Celebrity MasterChef kicked off tonight with a hilarious opening episode in which Olympic javelin champion Tessa Sanderson proved that not all women are good cooks!
The look on poor Gregg Wallace's face when she presented him with virtually raw chicken was a sight to see. Yer Keith Telly Topping thought that the taste test was a bit rough, mind - John Torode whipped up a quite beautiful-looking cheese and mushroom omelette but marked down all of the celebrities who weren't able to identify which, specific, cheese it was! That's just mean. Mind you, I could've cheerfully eaten Neil Stuke's pear tatin till the cows came home.ITV has commissioned a supernatural drama starring Alex Kingston. The Doctor Who actress and Wired star Jodie Whittaker will lead the cast of The Oaks, which is described as 'gripping.' In the press release admittedly. Well, they're hardly going to describe it a 'a pile of shit' are they? The five-part drama, written by Stephen Greenhorn (Glasgow Kiss), will tell the story of three different families living in the same house over several decades: the 1960s, 1980s and present day.
The families are linked by the spirit of a young girl, the daughter of the 1960s family who died in mysterious circumstances. Kingston and Whittaker are joined by cast members including Ashes To Ashes star Dean Andrews, Shelley Conn (Mistresses), Elliot Cowan (The Fixer), the great Denis Lawson, Jamie Thomas King (The Tudors) and Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses). 'The Oaks is a really original concept that blends relationship drama with an atmospheric ghost story,' said Laura Mackie of ITV's drama commissioning team. 'Stephen’s scripts are compellingly written and this is a very distinctive drama to add to our slate.' Executive Producer Kate Lewis added: 'This is a strongly authored, ambitious piece and we’re thrilled to have such an exciting and talented cast on board.' The show is the first commission from the creative collaboration between ITVS and FOX and is based on an original US pilot from David Schulner. A ten-week shoot on location around London is currently under way.An advert for bookmakers Paddy Power in which a cat appears to be kicked across a football pitch by a blind player will remain on screen despite more than one thousand complaints, a watchdog has said. The television advert, previously discussed on this very blog here opens with a shot of a kitbag marked 'Blind Wanderers FC' and two teams of blindfolded men in the middle of a five-a-side game. A cat is shown running on to the pitch before a player takes a kick, followed by the sound of a thud and a loud meow. A man in a suit then appears on the pitch and says: 'Paddy Power can't get Tiddles back, there's nothing we can do about that, but we can get you your money back with our money-back specials.'
The Advertising Standards Authority said one thousand and eighty nine viewers had complained about the advert in total, with two hundred and twenty complaints that it was offensive to blind people and one thousand and seventy claims that it could encourage or condone cruelty to animals. Some viewers complained about both issues simultaneously. Paddy Power said that the advert featured an action 'so unlikely that it was absurd.' They added that they chose a blind football match as it enabled them to promote and create awareness of a lesser-known sport in the year in which the World Blind Football Championships were to take place. The company provided a letter from the manager of the England Blind Football Team, who supported the advert's concept and stated that all of the players featured were actual blind football players, many of whom had represented the England national side. It said the advert did not show the cat being kicked or suffering any violence or cruelty whatsoever and that the animal was clearly - and deliberately - shown to be unharmed at the end of the item. The ASA did not uphold the complaints, saying it was not offensive or disrespectful in itself to create an advert referring to or involving people with a disability. It said: 'We noted that the ad featured and was supported by members of the England Blind Football Team, and showed blind people enjoying a game of football. We considered that the action in the ad would be interpreted by most viewers as a humorous depiction of a fictional situation. We considered it was unlikely to be seen by most viewers as malicious or to imply that blind people were likely to cause harm to animals whilst playing football.' And, as previously noted, the shite some people chose to care about continues to baffle and sadden this blogger.Channel 4 has confirmed that there will be no eviction on this Friday's Big Brother live show. Following the departure of Caoimhe yesterday and Keeley's absence with a leg injury, the producers have cancelled this week's public vote. Corin, Keeley and Rachel were the three housemates facing the axe.
The trio's 'Save and Replace' task was pulled yesterday evening after Keeley injured herself during the spider in a bathtub challenge. In a statement, a Channel 4 representative said: 'Due to Caoimhe's departure and Keeley's absence from the House, this week's nominations have been deemed null and void. Therefore this Friday's eviction has been cancelled. Friday's show will now include Davina's interview with Caoimhe, the results of this week's shopping task - including a special performance by some of the housemates - as well as all the action from the last twenty hours in the House.' However, it now appears that the last-minute live show has also been cancelled as Davina McCall is currently stranded in France due to a strike by French air traffic controllers. You couldn't make it up, could you?A former crew member on FOX medical drama House has filed a lawsuit against the show, claiming that he was unfairly dismissed. TMZ reports that Carl Jones, an assistant prop master, claims he was fired from the series when he refused to join his two supervisors in a variety of inappropriate acts.
The suit alleges Jones was harassed by the pair for refusing to engage in 'visits to strip bars, participation in getting drunk, stoned or intoxicated on cocaine, to participate in sexual conduct at the trailer, and other dangerous conduct.' He also accused the supervisors of drinking alcohol on set and behaving dangerously with knives and guns. Jones alleges that unwilling crew members were frequently referred to as 'bitches, slaves, dummies, retards and idiots' among other insults. His attempts to report the alleged misconduct to one of the show's co-executive producers reportedly led to his dismissal. The suit is believed to be for more than one million dollars in damages. Universal - which produces House - refused to comment on the matter.Glenn Close has revealed that she is pleased Damages has been renewed. The show had been close to cancellation, but DirecTV announced earlier this week that it has ordered two new seasons. Close, who plays Patty Hewes, has now told Entertainment Tonight that she is pleased with the news. 'It's very exciting to still be teamed with KZK [Productions] and Rose while going into new territory with DirecTV,' she said. 'Damages is a great ride and Patty is a character who continues to fascinate me. I'm proud of the show and grateful for Sony's undying support.'
Christina Applegate has admitted that she has no plans to return to television.
The actress hinted that the cancellation of her show Samantha Who?, which she also produced, has put her off appearing on the small screen. 'I loved my show so much, so it's going to be hard to find something I'm going to attach myself to at this point,' she told Access Hollywood. 'It's really hard to leave kind of a perfect situation and perfect character that you just fall so in love with.' Applegate's new film Going The Distance, which stars Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, is scheduled for release in August.The producers of hit ABC comedy Modern Family have expressed their disappointment at Christina Applegate's former screen-dad, Ed O'Neill, failing to receive an Emmy nomination. While O'Neill's co-stars Eric Stonestreet, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara were all nominated, the former Married... With Children star was not. Dan O'Shannon told Zap2It.com: 'Sadly, the unsung hero is Ed O'Neill. I think some of the stuff that's really great about him is sometimes maybe overlooked in the bigger comedy of the other characters.
But he just really holds the show down.' Fellow producer Bill Wrubel agreed: 'He never feels the need to be the centre of a scene. He's happy to kind of just do his line and react. His generosity on stage was really eye-opening. And he's super-fun to write for, because his delivery is just perfect every time.' Wrubel added that he is keen for the Emmys to introduce an award for ensemble acting, similar to that offered by the Screen Actors Guild awards. '[That would be good] not just for our show, but for all the other shows on television. TV shows are so much about their unit,' he said. Co-creator Steven Levitan also backed the suggestion, saying: 'I think that would be incredible. I think it's a great idea, and I love that award [at the SAG Awards]. It is an ensemble, and it's very hard to pick out who the standouts are.'Bones creator Hart Hanson has announced that the cast have started filming the sixth season. Writing on his Twitter page, Hanson admitted that he is thrilled about working on the show again. 'FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING, SEASON SIX, BONES!' he yelled.
'You can tell I'm excited by the capital letters. Or crazy. [David Boreanaz] already made me snort coffee.' Is that entirely legal? He added: 'I didn't snort coffee on a dare. It was because DB made me laugh while I was taking a demur sip [sic]. It's a sport with him.' TJ Thyne, who plays Jack Hodgins, also revealed that he is pleased he is back at work. 'And it begins,' he wrote. 'The laughter on stage six is already audible across the lot to House. We are home. And oooo do we have good scenes for ya! [sic]' Does anybody actually do any work on TV sets now, or do they all spend their time twattering?Shoshannah Stern has reportedly joined the cast of Lie To Me.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the former Jericho star has landed a recurring role in the upcoming third season. Stern is expected to play a student who is hired to help Tim Roth's character Cal Lightman with a book he's writing. Lightman allegedly warms to Stern's character despite his colleagues' fears that her deafness will cause problems.Angela Griffin has revealed that she is currently filming scenes for Hustle. Writing on her Twitter page - see what I mean?! They're all at it! - Griffin explained that she is enjoying working on the BBC show. 'First day filming on Hustle,' she said. 'Bloody loving it.' However, Griffin refused to reveal many details about her role, saying: 'Won't give too much away... But I'm a Brummie bitch!' It is not yet clear when the seventh series of Hustle will be broadcast.
Marti Noxon has compared her experiences writing for Mad Men to a return to writing school. Noxon - known for her work on Buffy, Angel and Prison Break - admitted that working on the AMC drama had been a learning experience.
'It was amazing,' she told Collider. 'It was kind of like going back to writing school in a way because so much [on the show] lives in subtlety and writing away from the point or theme.' She added: 'It's so sharp [and] so well-crafted that it took me back to really writing from character, really trying to be truthful. It was really refreshing.' Noxon praised the programme's pacing and structure, explaining that her stint on the show had helped improve her writing abilities. 'It's slower than most TV right now,' she said. 'It's slower-paced, it takes its time. All of that was really good for me as a writer.' She also revealed that creator Matthew Weiner warned staff not to spoil the show by leaking future plot developments. 'We were under a gag order, we could not talk about it at all,' she explained.A representative for Tom Cruise has denied that the small Hollywood actor is planning to appear in a reality TV show about his family life. It was previously reported that Cruise had already begun filming actress wife Katie Holmes and their daughter Suri at home. The actor was said to be keen to portray his family as 'normal.' If, you know, small. According to Grazia magazine, he was also allegedly 'fielding offers from entertainment companies' for the footage. However, a representative for Cruise has now allegedly revealed to Gossip Cop that the report 'is made up out of thin air.' Oh, the Daily Star. I've got ya. He also called it 'a joke.' Cruise's Knight and Day co-star, Cameron Diaz recently, praised his relationship with his wife and daughter.
Comedian Stewart Lee is not reportedly amused by an online vote to find a 'comedy God' among the past winners of (and nominees for) the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award and its predecessor, the Perrier.
The poll to celebrate the award's thirtieth year is, Lee suggests in an e-mail to its publicist Anna Arthur - which somehow found its way to the comedy website Chortle - 'the most shameful, inane thing I have seen in all the years I have been doing the [Edinburgh] Fringe.' The awards have, Lee goes on to suggest, been criticised previously for the developing world policies of Perrier's parent company Nestlé, among other things. Moreover, 'It is not possible for the outcome of this poll to have any credibility. How dare you proceed with this farcical, selfish idea? Corporate whores. Morons. Illiterates. Your cynicism is breathtaking.' Et cetera. And, again, we have an example of the utterly worthless crap that some people chose to care about. This aversion to polls, of course, didn't apparently stop Stewart from appearing as a - quite entertaining - talking head on the Channel 4 show, The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups (which was decided by a public vote) and then from naming his own subsequent 2008 stand-up tour The Forty First Best Stand Up Ever. Maybe it's just the Nestlé thing, then?Conrad Black, the disgraced former media mogul jailed for fraud two years ago, was ordered to be released on bail this morning while a US judge decided whether to overturn his conviction. Bail was set at two million dollars. But before Black can go free, he must first appear in the Chicago court that ordered his release. He is less than one-third of the way through a six-and-a-half-year sentence. The district court is examining Black's appeal, which was triggered by a ruling last week by the US supreme court weakening the 'honest services' law, which was central to his conviction. Judge Amy St Eve is to decide whether to overturn Black's conviction in whole or in part, leaving prosecutors to determine whether to retry him.
If they decide against doing so, Black would remain free. The federal appeals court, which granted him bail on Monday, could also dismiss the fraud charge and keep the obstruction of justice count, thereby ordering St Eve to hold a new sentencing hearing. Whatever happens, the former tycoon is facing an enormous financial penalty because of mounting legal fees, according to the Globe and Mail newspaper. The paper quoted 'sources' allegedly familiar with Black's former Hollinger empire as saying that an insurance policy which covered millions of dollars in legal fees had been wound up, leaving him facing a steep bill. Black still faces charges filed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, a case that has stalled pending the outcome of the criminal case. He is also facing allegations from the US Internal Revenue Service that he owes seventy million dollars in unpaid taxes and penalties, the Globe and Mail reported. A number of other cases, including libel charges against former Hollinger officials, are currently working their way through the courts. 'He will have to fund his litigation out of his own pocket,' said Eugene Fox, a partner with Connecticut-based Cardinal Capital, which lost money after investing in Hollinger International. 'Maybe now we will finally be able to see how wealthy he really is,' Fox told the Globe and Mail.The BBC has responded to complaints from EastEnders viewers unhappy with the treatment of the Qu'ran in recent episodes. In a statement, the corporation confirmed that viewers have complained about the way Syed Masood (Marc Elliott) had slammed down the Qu'ran. 'As regular viewers will know, Syed has been struggling to come to terms with his sexuality for some time now,' the BBC said.
'Desperate not to lose his family, Syed is trying to suppress his homosexuality and has vowed to read and learn from the Qu'ran in an attempt to reconnect with his Muslim faith, hoping that this will help him in his quest. Feeling unable to reconcile his feelings for another man with his religious beliefs, Syed slams down the Qu'ran in frustration.' The statement added: 'It was not intended to be a disrespectful act, rather a totally spontaneous one, symbolic of Syed's utter confusion and frustration at what feels like an impossible situation. It wasn't our intention to cause any offence.' Last week, the BBC dismissed complaints that an ongoing EastEnders storyline featuring Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet) is offensive to Christians.Did you know, dear blog reader, that the concept of electronic tagging was first developed in the early 1960s when Ralph Kirkland Schwitzgebel headed a research team at Harvard which experimented with a prototype electronic monitoring system to locate and send two-way radio signals to juvenile offenders.
As viewers of Qi will know in 1983 a New Mexico district court judge, the fabulously named Jack Love ('Ah'll go to jail for yew, Judge Lurrrrrv!') persuaded Michael Goss, a computer salesperson, to develop a electronic system to monitor five offenders in Albuquerque. Judge Love was, supposedly, inspired to act based upon a storyline in a Spider-Man comic, specifically the newspaper comic strip version where the Kingpin put an electronic bracelet on the superhero to follow his movements. This was probably the first court-sanctioned use of electronic monitoring. Isn't that brilliant?Will the last GMTV presenter left kindly turn out the light on their way out? Richard Arnold and Carla Romano will not be involved in GMTV's rebranding as Daybreak. The duo, who have worked on the ITV breakfast show for a decade, are not part of the new editorial team, which is being headed up by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley. TV reporter Arnold commented: 'I am very happy to take a break from getting up every day at the crack of the sparrows cough! Having said that it has been a craic every day for ten years and I very much look forward to the exciting projects ahead.' Writing on Twitter, inevitably, he added: 'I'm leaving GMTV after ten years - still with a glossy barnet and my own teeth! Will pop up on Daybreak so tweet away! You stars!' Romano said: 'I can honestly say that the last ten years at GMTV have been like a rollercoaster. Exciting, scary, hilarious and unpredictable. But most of all never dull. Here in LA I have interviewed and got to know some of the world’s biggest stars, in fact I think I've managed to get through all of them! But Hollywood has become my home and, given my personal ties here, this is where I need to be at the moment. It is time to start a new chapter and to explore opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic. I wish GMTV all the best in the future and hope that it continues to be the best that it is.' Director of factual, daytime and GMTV Alison Sharman said that the duo have been 'a vital part' of GMTV over the last ten years. But that, like all of the other 'vital parts' - apart from Lorraine Kelly and Kate Garraway - they were now no longer needed and could they kindly bugger off before Adrian and Christine rock up. 'I would like to thank them for the great contribution they have made to the show,' she said. 'I wish them good luck with the new projects they will be taking on.'
Two French international footballers have been charged with having sex with an under-age prostitute. Franck Ribery, twenty seven, and Karim Benzema, twenty two, who have both been linked with moves to Premier League clubs, could face up to three years in jail if the case goes to trial. The indictments are the first stage of an investigation launched by magistrates intent on cracking down on an alleged celebrity vice-ring in Paris. Detectives bugged the Zaman Cafe, a pricey nightclub just off the Champs Elysees, which they suspected of giving clients access to minors working as call girls. Four people - including the club's owner, a waiter and a man suspected of pimping girls to celebrities and sportsmen - have been placed under investigation and could also face trial.
Ribery, whose twenty two-year-old brother has also been charged in the sting, arrived at the Palace of Justice in Paris in handcuffs but was freed without preconditions after the hearing. His lawyer Sophie Bottai expressed surprise at the charge, saying: 'The only thing that's new since the last time he was questioned is that the World Cup is over and he played badly. There's not a single element of physical proof,' she added. 'This woman told them she was of age, was all made up, dressed up, appeared very switched on.' The Bayern Munich winger has never denied paying for sex with the young woman at the centre of the scandal, Zahia Dehar, who is now eighteen years and four months old. Adult prostitution is in itself legal in France, but pimping, solicitation and running organised vice networks are banned. The country's general age of consent is fifteen years, but in the case of prostitution a young person remains legally a minor until he or she reaches eighteen.The government is expected tomorrow to formally reject a review panel's recommendation that an extended list of major sporting events, including England's home Ashes cricket series against Australia, be made available on free-to-air television. Hugh Robertson, the sports minister, a critic of the review when in opposition, is expected to say that the England and Wales Cricket Board and other sports governing bodies should retain the freedom to sell their rights to the highest bidding broadcaster.
A rejected Britain's Got Talent contestant today began her bid to sue Simon Cowell, claiming that he and the other star judges took away her 'self respect and dignity.' Emma Amelia Pearl Czikai, fifty three, says that she was 'humiliated and degraded' by Cowell and fellow judge Amanda Holden who told her she could not sing. They added that she had a 'horrible voice' during auditions for the hit ITV show in May last year. Piers Morgan was the first judge to buzz her out and Cowell followed closely behind before she even finished the first three words of power ballad 'You Raise Me Up' on two separate attempts. On her third go, Amanda Holden let her get a little further. But Miss Czikai's dreams of stardom were crushed to a million tiny fragments by a third buzzer as she reached the chorus. 'Emma, Emma, reality check here, it's not the music; it's not the microphone; it's you,' Cowell apparently told her. Czikai claims that her performance was impeded by a number of medical conditions. These, she says, can cause head and shoulder pain and affect her ability to hear her own voice in a noisy environment. She also claims that staff at the show ignored her requests to sing early because of her disabilities which, she alleges, leave her exhausted and, also, to lower the music and microphone levels. She has now begun an attempt to get an employment tribunal to hear her claim of disability discrimination. At a pre-tribunal review in London this week, she said: 'I am certainly not prepared to be humiliated. Because I have these illnesses singing is all I can do for my future and therefore it is important for me not to have thirteen to twenty million people all over the world thinking I cannot sing.
It is quite upsetting to be regarded as a failure and to be targeted and mocked. I have been ridiculed, mocked and hated. I have had my self-respect and dignity taken from me unfairly and been humiliated on a daily basis. It was the microphone. It was the music. I have not got a horrible singing voice when I am in a fair environment that meets my disabilities as I proved on Britian's Got More Talent.' Czikai, from Sutton Coldfield is pursuing her claim against the show and one of Cowell's companies Simco Limited. She said contestants were routinely humiliated, bullied into saying things they didn't mean and goaded to become angry and frustrated to 'make good television.' Meanwhile she saw 'servants' walking through with platters of lobster, seafood and caviar which she was told was for Ms Holden, Morgan and Cowell. You mean, they have catering? The utter bastards! Czikai - who is representing herself - also claimed that she had suffered 'ongoing harassment' because a later improved performance on spin-off show Britain's Got More Talent was not linked to the original clip on YouTube to prove she could sing. 'Britain's Got Talent have sought to accrue profit to themselves through exploitation of a film clip that they know perpetrates a lie that I cannot sing.' Breaking down in tears she added: 'This programme makes a select number of rich people very very rich on the backs of the ordinary man and woman in the street through exploitation, humiliation, degradation and a re-emergence of modern-day barbarism with all its inherent cruelty.' Yep. That would appear to be about the size of it. She has lodged the action on the basis that by taking part in BGT she was was auditioning for a 'job' on the roadshow and did not view it as a talent programme. Instead, she claims, it was a way to launch her dream of a singing career. She suggested that the panel conditions on BGT were like 'slave labour' which left her exhausted before she even reached the stage. 'Despite fifteen years in the singing industry I have never experienced anything like the BGT setting which is more like a drunken night out on the karaoke than a Royal Variety show setting,' she said. Thomas Linden QC, representing Simco Limited, said that they were opposing Czikai's right to have a full hearing. This was on the basis that BGT was not an employer, that the staff had any prior knowledge of her disabilities, and whether posting a clip on the Internet constituted on-going harassment, he said. He also disputed Czikai's claim on the basis that it was lodged too late. The hearing continues. And is currently being reported upon, eagerly, by most national newspapers who seem to find it all vastly entertaining. Personally, I think it's rather sad. And vastly entertaining.Katie Price is reportedly considering legal action against Kerry Katona. According to the Mirror, Price is at the 'end of her tether' after Katona recently insulted her appearance. The glamour model is also said to be upset that Katona attended a barbecue hosted by her ex-husband Peter Andre when her children were present.
A source told the newspaper: 'Katie doesn't want her kids to be near Kerry. What with Kerry attacking her in magazine articles - not to mention her dubious track record - she's the last person she wants her kids to be socialising with.' Price is said to be 'bemused' by Katona choosing to 'stick her oar' into her life and reportedly told her friends: 'Pot. Kettle. Black.' I don't think that's the basis for a legal claim, Katie chuck although you're probably able to afford lawyers who'll tell you that it is. So you know, good luck with that. Another 'source' allegedly told the newspaper: 'Kate is bemused that Kerry keeps namedropping her in articles. It's really sad that she hasn't got anything original to say of her own.' It's Kerry Katona, what do you expect? 'It seems the only way she can get publicity is by talking about Kate.' Well, it's either that or getting sacked by Iceland, I guess. 
