Television

Here is the list of the winners of the 2008 National Television Awards:

Most Popular Entertainment Programme - The Paul O'Grady Show (CH 4)

Outstanding Serial Drama Performance - Matt Littler, Hollyoaks (CH 4)

Most Popular Factual Programme - Top Gear (BBC Two)

Most Popular Comedy Programme - Benidorm (ITV 1)

Most Popular Newcomer - Rita Simons, EastEnders (BBC One)

Most Popular Drama - Doctor Who (BBC One)

Most Popular Entertainment Presenter - Ant & Dec (ITV)

Outstanding Drama Performance - David Tennant, Doctor Who (BBC One)

Most Popular Serial Drama - EastEnders (BBC One)

Special Recognition Award - Simon Cowell

Most Popular Talent Show - Strictly Come Dancing

Does Ant and Dec count as one person then?

And I am glad that Strictly Come Dancing beat X-factor, although I was hoping for Peter Kaye's Britains Got the Pop Factor! And I am sure there are more deserving people to be recognised than Simon Cowell... Sinitta perhaps (who apparently discovered Leona Lewis)

But the surprise is Benidorm? The best comedy? Really?

David Tennant has officially announced his intention to step away from his role as The Doctor in the longest-running science fiction series in history, Doctor Who, according to U.K. newspaper, The Guardian,

"I've had the most brilliant, bewildering and life-changing time working on Doctor Who," Tennant said. "I have loved every day of it. It would be very easy to cling on to the Tardis console forever and I fear that if I don't take a deep breath and make the decision to move on now, then I simply never will."

Tennant will remain with the series through four specials planned in 2009. The timing makes sense, as it means new executive producer Steven Moffat can start his tenure fresh in 2010 with the new 11th Doctor.

Let the casting rumors begin with extra fervor now.

Yoohoo! I'm available

Last night saw the return of Spooks on BB1. And a fantastic start to the series it was..... and sad, seeing Adam go.
But I am glad that Ros is back, she was my favourite character (and man! can she kick ass!) Although I bet Adam wasnt pleased to see her, after all, those few seconds when they met, could have been useful as he was trying to escape the car at the end.

Anyway, Spooks is back on again tonight

Me: So ITV are showing High School Musical today at 6:15pm
ITV: No we're not
Me: Aren't you, then what's that program with the singing and dancing kids?
ITV: That's Britannia High
Me: But it's like High School Musical
ITV: No it's totally different
Me: How
ITV: Er.... it's set in the UK
Me: And what's it about?
ITV: About a group of kids
Me: And do these kids sing and dance?
ITV: Er.... Yes.
Me: And where's it set?
ITV: In a school.
Me: A high school?
ITV: No! There aren't any high schools in the UK. That's an American thing
Me: And what's the school called?
ITV: Er..... Britannia high
Me: Sounds American
ITV: But cleverly we put the word Britannia in it, so it sounds more British
Me: But you put the high at the end so it sounds more 'High School Musical'ish
ITV: Possibly
Me: And who's your demographic?
ITV: Young kids that like...er.....
Me: High School musical perhaps?
ITV: ERk! Rumbled!

What do the writers of Coronation Street think they're doing? Some of the things are unbelievable.
I can just about believe that Sophie Webster hasn't clawed John's eyes out and trampled over his scrawny body as she escapes his grandmas attic.
I can just about believe that Tyrone and that wretched woman are not streetwise enough to splash their cash in full view of everyone in the pub.
I can almost believe that the person Maria described, the Liam that ate all the popcorn when they wen to the cinema or did the worst Jimmy Saville impression was the same Liam taht we know, even though there was never any evidence that they went to the pictures- or did anything together other than going round to dinner with cow-face and scary-eye.
But it is totally beyond belief that anyone, anyone at all- let alone a mother and daugther- would fancy Dev! I mean. Seriously, Ladies. Dev? Really? Anyone? Anyone at all?

It is the last part of Hairspray the school musical tonight and they are performing their 'production' It has been a fun journey to watch and I have enjoyed the program.

I wonder what they will do next year?

EDIT
Now I have watched it, I can say it was a great show. those kids did extremely well. And what a high- I remember the high of a final performance It is such a great feeling- you just want to do it again and again

Yes. It's the return of Harry Hill's TV Burp!

Can't get enough of this wacky look at the TV's week

BAFTA-award winning comedy maestro Harry Hill returns to cast his unique gaze over the week's televisual output, taking aim at Strictly Come Dancing, X Factor and all the big soaps as well as other TV gems

Saturday ITV 6:55pm

This sounds really quite interesting. Does anyone know when it starts? It's on e4

Britain has a big problem. The dead are returning to life and attacking the living. The people they kill get up and kill – and it’s spreading like wildfire. Curiously, there are a few people left in Britain who aren’t worried about any of this – that’s because they’re the remaining contestants in Big Brother. Cocooned in the safety of the Big Brother house, they’re blissfully unaware of the horrific events unfolding outside. Until an eviction night when all hell breaks loose.

Kelly, (Jaime Winstone) the production runner working on Big Brother finds herself caught in the impossible position of trying to fend off the walking dead alongside the remaining housemates, Davina herself, a host of former Big Brother housemates, her producer boss Patrick (Andy Nyman) and boyfriend Riq (Riz Ahmed).

Over the ensuing days, in a cruel reflection of the game show they thought they were entering, the contestants fall victim, one by one, to the hungry masses outside. Staying alive requires teamwork – which is tricky when you’re a group specifically selected by TV producers to wind each other up.

The Sarah Jane Adventure .. (Yes I know it's for kids, but soddit- It fills the doctor who hole until it comes back) ... featured a scary villain. Clowns! I hate clowns! I always have, since childhood. So this was a good story (about the pied piper)
And it had Bradley Walsh- who is quite scary in his own way

Anyone else watch it- with the kids of course?

I sat and watched this last night - addicted to it already

BUT - has anyone else noticed that the mad Doctor/father in Fringe talks exactly like Owen in The Vicar of Dibley?

Is it possible? Could we be getting a Children in Need special Doctor Who with seven doctors?
Read here

The actors are getting together for the BBC charity Children in Need in a programme to be broadcast on November 14.

An insider at the BBC said: "It's a pretty ambitious idea and it's still being finalised. Everything is being kept under wraps but Doctor Who fans are in for a big treat."

Oh wait a minute... I have recollections of a previous Children in Need with more then one doctor.... It was poor! I hope it isn't like that

Tonight on Channel 4 Starting at 8pm with a results show at 10:15pm

Peter Kaye has a pop at reality TV shows

Peter Kay returns to television with his first new work in four years, a satire on popular reality talent shows and the contestants who appear on them. Cat Deeley presents the live final of Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice, featuring the remaining three finalists: R Wayne, 2 Up 2 Down and Geraldine

LAst night my OH and I watched the X factor and then waited for the results show. WE cannot believe that we just spent our whole evening doing that!
The show itself was Okay. I am not surprised that the two girl groups were in the bottom 2, s traditionally groups don't do well in these programs. Scott should have gone with his rendition of Yeah Yeah- I'm not sure he cane hold a tune.
There are some good female singers this year and it looks like ti could be a tight competition. Alexandra or Laura for me.
However, having said that- I'm not sure I am going to watch much more of them. I don't think I can justify spending a whole evening on one show. I think I'll just tune into the results show- find out what they sung and who gets knocked out.

Has anyone NOT worked out who Danielle is yet?

... at the moment is Becky Grainger, I reckon.
Such a witty, funny and likable rogue. Her 'relationship' with Roy is brilliant.
Tonight's first episode just saw Jason dump on her, and she took it like a proper Corrie lady. It had a touch of Bet Gilroy and Elsie Tanner. (Ooops - spot the fan)

Here's to Becky (I hear she's leaving though)

Also on Sunday night at 9pm (In case oyu don't want to watch Fringe or Gethin Jones getting hot and Bothered) is A new spy drama on FXTV.

WHAT IS BURN NOTICE?

When spies get fired, they don’t get a letter from human resources.

They get BURNED...

Burn Notice, a sexy, action-packed original series starring Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, a blacklisted spy. Dumped in his hometown of Miami without money or resources, Michael struggles to put his life back together and find out why he's been burned. In the meantime, he uses his unique skills and training to help people in need ... mostly people who can't get help from the police.

Burn Notice also stars Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona, a beautiful ex-IRA operative who happens to be Westen’s ex-girlfriend. Bruce Campbell stars as Sam, Michael’s closest buddy in town, a washed up military intelligence contact who is keeping an eye on Michael for the Feds. Also starring is Emmy® Award-winner Sharon Gless as Madeline, Michael’s hypochondriac mother, who couldn’t be happier to have her boy back in town.

Joining the cast this season in a recurring role is Tricia Helfer (“Battlestar Gallactica”) as Carla, the woman who may be behind Michael’s burn notice.

Created and written by Matt Nix, Burn Notice combines the best of the action/thriller elements with surprising humor and an iconic new breed of spy

A new show by JJ Abrams wtarts this Sunday at 9pm on Sky1

Fringe focuses on a female FBI agent, played by newcomer Anna Torv, who is pushed into working with an institutionalised scientist in an attempt to uncover the truth behind unexplained phenomena.

David Smyth, head of acquisitions at Sky One, picked up the drama from Warner Bros. International Television Distribution. It will begin airing in the UK this autumn.

Smyth said the show "will thrill a new generation of viewers much like The X-Files did 15 years ago."

Fringe is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. The executive producers are Abrams, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Bryan Burk, Alex Graves and Jeff Pinkner.

The story begins as an international flight lands at Boston's Logan Airport with passengers and crew all having met grisly deaths. FBI special agent Olivia Dunham (Torv) is called in to investigate. When the search nearly kills her partner, she searches frantically for someone to help and she is led to scientific researcher Dr. Walter Bishop.

There's only one catch: he's been institutionalized for the last 20 years and the only way to question him requires calling on his estranged son, Peter – portrayed by Dawson's Creek star Joshua Jackson. Under special agent Phillip Broyles, the trio discovers that what happened on that fatal flight is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.

SO JJ Abrams starts another show on a plane! He must have had a really bad experience when he was younger

New series, damn funny I think it's going to be fine without Bill Bailey. Simon Amstell is as cute as ever *ruffles his hair*.

That's cheered me up.