Pay TV Archive:
Returning: Hotel Babylon
Raunchy UK drama Hotel Babylon will have its third season on the UK TV channel in February.
Once again starring Max Beesley and Australia’s Natalie Mendoza the second and third series was originally promised to return to Nine this year (but so far, no sign).
Guest appearances for this series include American Idol’s Paula Abdul, Australian actor Daniel Lapaine, Alan Davies, Nathaniel Parker, John Barrowman, Michael Landes, Samantha Bond, Nicholas Rowe, Manchester United footballer Lee Sharpe, male model Laurence Edney and opera diva Lesley Garrett.
It’s back Monday February 16 at 9:30pm.
Press Release:
Indulge yourself …
Superstar Dancers of the World
Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance fame have developed a new global dance competition tentatively titled Superstar Dancers of the World (please change that titled pronto, boys!).
Australia will be one of eight countries set to participate in the battle, which sounds part Eurovision and part circus acrobatics.
“This dance competition is very much like the Olympics,” said Craig Plestis from NBC.
“The physical feats these athletes and artists pull is mind-blowing, and we’re so excited to form what we hope will be the definitive …
Foxtel rocks into 2009
Foxtel has joined the procession of new programme announcements, with a raft of Australian-produced and international shows, some of which launch as early as December.
The channels owned & operated by Foxtel include FOX8, FOX Classics, Arena, Comedy, Crime & Investigation, History, Biography and the W Channel.
The titles include 15 local productions, starting with An Aussie Goes Calypso in December and reality competition The Phone in January. Both will air on FOX8.
To be presented by Justin Melvey, The Phone sees two hidden mobile phones ringing somewhere in a city. When a stranger …
Fremantle seals YouTube deal
European media giant FremantleMedia has agreed to a deal to produce programs to be shown exclusively on YouTube and to split revenues with the video-sharing site.
Fremantle said the deal would seal a partnership that has already begun with Fremantle YouTube channels for shows such The X Factor and Hole In The Wall.
“Following a period of creative experimentation, FremantleMedia is cementing its relationship with us for content distribution,” Patrick Walker, YouTube’s director of video partnerships in Europe, the Middle East and Asia said on Monday.
Fremantle will use YouTube’s video ID technology, which …
US Idol singer “stalked” by Aussie
Diana DeGarmo, who appeared in American Idol has accused a Melbourne woman of stalking her.
DeGarmo, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, said in a statement tendered today in Melbourne Magistrates Court. “I cannot have any private or professional life without her infiltrating it,” Ms DeGarmo
She has accused Tanya Maree Quattrocchi, 22, of stealing her online identity and harassing her friends and family.
Quattrocchi, 22, today pleaded not guilty to four charges of stalking Ms DeGarmo and others between November last year and January this year, through electronic messages.
She is accused of posing as …
Terminator not yet terminated
Much to the surprise of many, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles was given a full season by FOX on Friday.
The extra nine episodes for its second season follows a growing US fan base and some positive critical attention.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Fox’s overall ratings tend to significantly increase after the first of the year, powered by American Idol.
The series which stars Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker and Summer Glau last aired in Australia on the Nine Network in March, moving from 8:30 to 10:30 timeslots.
Now word on future episodes here just yet.
Source: …
Careful, nervous mother driving….
This morning, I woke up with this feelin’ I only wanna make you happy…
Yes drag out your bell bottoms, they’re remakin’ The Partridge Family -well, sorta.
Reveille and Geffen Records have partnered with format rights holder Sony Pictures to develop a “tongue-in-cheek, modern-day approach to the original series.”
The idea emanated from plans to create a family style show in the world of music, no doubt as an extension of the success enjoyed by American Idol and High School Musical (for my money, you don’t get much more David Cassidy than Zac Effron …
To Eurovision and beyond
Eurovision this week signalled further expansion with plans to see a regional version in Asia.
Asia’s version will start in 2009, and involve competitors from Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
EV has already licensed a format for the Middle East with nations like Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. For many years there has been talk of a North American version designed to pit US states against one another -surely a good idea …
Takin’ it to the malls
Australian Idol singers yesterday appeared at Westpoint Blacktown in Sydney.
It was their first shopping centre appearance in the 2008 season and by the looks of these photos, there were plenty on hand to squeal deliriously.
American Idol’s Jordin Sparks also performed.
Every year the Idol singers take it to the great unwashed as a way of keeping in touch with viewers and voters. They have traditionally appeared at Federation Square Melbourne during the AFL Grand Final week too. So far, there’s no confirmation on that for next week just yet.
Last year the singers …
Australian Idol: Verdict Show
“Idol’s Monday night was always a bit of a naff for the audience because it was really just 15 minutes of content rolled out over an hour, but we’ve recognised that and strengthened it,” Dicko said two weeks ago.
To borrow a Big Brother phrase: I don’t think so.
Instead, Monday night’s Verdict edition consisted of 15 minutes of content rolled out over 70 minutes.
This year Idol decided to flag the bottom three at the top of the show and re-open the voting lines (ker-ching) to close at 8pm AEST. Viewers in …
Australian Idol: top 12
And here is your Australian Idol Top 12 for 2008:
Wes Carr, Chrisyln Hamilton, Tom Williams, Thanh Bui, Mark Spano, Teale Jakubenko, Brooke Addamo
Madam Parker, Roshani Priddis, Luke Dickens, Jonny Taylor, Sophie Paterson.
With 5 girls and 7 boys, it’s a “boy’s year.”
Next Sunday the finalists select an “Idol’s Idol” song choice. They will appear at Westpoint Blacktown Tuesday 16th at 4pm. The group will perform live and answer questions from their fans. Theys will be joined by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.
Centrebet has ranked the singers with the following odds:
2008 Australian Idol …
American Idol spins around new judge
At a time when some talent shows are cutting back on their number of judges, American Idol is adding a fourth permanent face to its panel: Grammy-nominated pop composer, Kara DioGuardi.
Whether its adding or subtracting, the common denominator here is change, or being seen to effect change. Heaven forbid these shows should be seen to be standing still. The addition of a fourth judge follows the exit of producer Nigel Lithgoe, best known as an on air judge on So You Think You Can …