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Cougar Town
If we were to drop in on Monica Geller ten years after her life on Friends, would we find her living in a suburban cul de sac in the state of Florida? Very possibly.
At least that’s what it feels like on Cougar Town. Here is Courteney Cox, still doing schtick, slapstick and sexy, only this time with a teenage son and an ex-husband. The thing is, Cox does this sort of thing very, very well.
Real estate saleswoman Jules Cobb (Cox) spends most of her Friday night with scrabble, wine and her …
BBC axes Jam & Jerusalem, French & Saunders to part.
This piece of news on the weekend nearly escaped me, but oh, it’s too big not to acknowledge…
French & Saunders have announced they are parting creative company after more than 30 years. It follows news that the BBC will not renew the comedy Jam and Jerusalem.
“Audiences have enjoyed three series of Jam & Jersualem and the time felt right to make way for different ideas,” a BBC spokesperson said.
“We are already discussing new projects with Jennifer Saunders and eagerly anticipate Roger and Val starring Dawn French and …
May 09: Matthew Johns, Karl after the Logies, Eurovision, Bud Tingwell
May:
WIN loses defamation case
The Chaser: Charges? What charges?
Gold Logie: It’s Rebecca!
Gretel’s Logies flop
Search for an Aussie Jerry Springer
Late News returns to Nine
Sam Newman to be ‘tarred and feathered’
ABC’s Eternity Man wins international award
Media Watch: 20 Years: Stuff Ups, Beat Ups & Barneys
Karl Stefanovic, the morning after
Fawlty Towers stars reunite
MASH’s David Ogden Stiers comes out
Gossip Girl spin-off ‘dead.’
Sam Newman put on ‘ACMA watch’
Rex Hunt guilty of road rage
Kiefer Sutherland charged with assault
Idol dumps Monday …
Joanna Lumley, Daughter of Nepal.
It was an Absolutely Fabulous welcome for actress Joanna Lumley in Nepal this week as she arrived to a fervent welcome from locals.
The star had actress addressed a mass rally in Kathmandu at the start of a six-day visit following a campaign for the British army veterans to be allowed to settle in Britain.
“Today I speak to you as a daughter of the regiment,” she said in an emotional speech.
“My father was a Gurkha officer… and I feel that he and all the departed soldiers are with us today.”
“On my first …
Airdate: Beautiful People
This will be worth looking out for on ABC2: a six part comedy series from writer Jonathan Harvey (Gimme Gimme Gimme, Beautiful Thing), and executive produced by Jon Plowman (Absolutely Fabulous, The Office, Little Britain).
Beautiful People is inspired by the memoirs of windowdresser, Simon Doonan, who tells his assistant / boyfriend Sacha various tales from his childhood in 1997, when he and his friend Kylie would dream of moving to London and meeting ‘the beautiful people’.
Reflecting on his life, dapper Simon (Samuel Barnett from The History Boys) is transported back to a …
FOX rejects Ab Fab remake
I think we’re all privately a little relieved at this one.
Absolutely Fabulous isn’t going ahead at FOX. Despite early talk the pilot was “hot, hot hot,” executives are said to have wondered if it was really for their audience.
It isn’t the first time the US has tried to adapt the hit series -the last time was with Roseanne Barr and Carrie Fisher. This time the script was from Saturday Night Live writer Christine Zander. Jennifer Saunders was involved as an executive producer, but who knows how hands on she was…
Relocated to …
French & Saunders in BAFTA honour
And it’s about time too.
Beloved British comediennes Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders will receive a BAFTA Fellowship at the academy’s 2009 television awards next Sunday.
They will be the second double-act to win the prestigious award, following Morecambe and Wise, who were honoured in 1999.
Their 27-year-long television career began as part of the alternative comedy troupe The Comic Strip, which ran in tandem with their ITV series Girls On Top alongside Ruby Wax and Tracey Ullman. As well as their BBC sketch series, the duo are also responsible for Absolutely Fabulous and …
Joanna Lumley guests on Lewis
It’s been a while since we’ve sighted Joanna Lumley, but over Easter in the UK she appeared in the season finale of crime series Lewis.
The former Ab Fab star appeared as rock chick ‘Esme Ford,’ a former rock idol of Inspector Lewis, played by Kevin Whately.
Esme sang with fictitious group Midnight Addiction for which Lumley’s singing voice was dubbed by singer Maggie Bell.
Lumley said: “Once we realised what kind of music the group Midnight Addiction played – practically Black Sabbath – I guessed she (Esmé) was a slightly stoned, fairly wrecked …
British heroes to rescue America
America is picking up more British formats, two of which are airing in Australia.
ABC Studios is planning Heroics, which premieres in its original UK format No Heroics tonight on ABC2. Like the original, the US version will revolve around four B-list superheroes but led by Pete aka Chillout, a Canadian-born superhero who can freeze small objects.
Meanwhile Pulling, which is also airing on ABC2, will also be produced by ABC Studios. Based on a British format, it revolves around three single thirtysomething women, two of them to be played by Lindsay Sloane …
America’s Patsy & Edina?
There was once talk it would involve Roseanne. Or Carrie Fisher. Or even Liz Taylor.
But FOX has announced the two actresses who will finally become America’s very own Eddie and Patsy in its adaptation of Absolutely Fabulous.
They are Kathryn Hahn (pictured, Eddie) and Kristen Johnston (Patsy).
Hahn appeared in Revolutionary Road plus Step Brothers, The Last Mimzy and Anchorman.” On TV, she was seen on Four Kings and Crossing Jordan.
“From working with Kate Winslet to Will Ferrell, it’s her broad range of talent that inspired us to give her a development deal,” …
Airdate: Cranford
ABC will air the BBC series Cranford in February. Last week it was in contention for three Golden Globes and already has Emmy and BAFTA wins under its belt.
The period drama is adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858. It follows the small absurdities and major tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford during one extraordinary year.
Judi Dench leads a commanding ensemble cast including Philip Glenister (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes), Michael Gambon (Gosford Park, Harry Potter, Wives and Daughters), Imelda Staunton (Vera …
FOX to remake Ab Fab
Not content with re-making Kath and Kim, America is about to tackle Absolutely Fabulous -again.
Arrested Development’s Mitch Hurwitz (who is also behind the animated and retitled version of Sit Down Shut Up), is one of three executive producers for Sony Pictures. Jennifer Saunders is also in on the deal, as one of three other executive producers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she will be hands on each episode.
The script will be put together by Saturday Night Live writer Christine Zander.
The new US version to air on FOX will be located in …