That was 2011...in entertainment

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

WITHOUT a doubt, the entertainment world has had another turbulent year and here are some of the big stories that hit the headlines over the last 12 months…

     The year began in typical fashion – with a media scandal!  What seemed to be remarks about women in football made off the air were actually picked up and made public, as Sky Sports presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray discovered.  More damaging off-screen behaviour would come to light over the following days through YouTube and it resulted in Gray being sacked and Keys resigning from his role.  In its 22 year history, this was no question, Sky’s biggest ever embarrassment.

FIGHTING: Imogen Thomas was dragged into the superinjunctions debate

     Just over a year after they got hitched in Las Vegas, a painful separation was in prospect for Katie Price and Alex Reid.  Price would go on to date an unknown Argentine model for several months whilst Reid has found new love in ex-Big Brother Housemate Chantelle Houghton.  The pair have recently become engaged, so no surprise who was the winner out of this doomed relationship.  Another former BB contestant that sprung into the public eye was Imogen Thomas.  Her name was mentioned in a granted superinjunction by a Premier League footballer who wished to remain anonymous.  Speculation on Twitter led to a Liberal Democrat MP to use his parliamentary privilege and oust the footballer’s identity.  The footballer has remained silent on the issue ever since the revelation back in May.  Speaking about Big Brother, after the final series on Channel 4 ended last summer, it looked as if it had vanished away for good.  Richard Desmond had other ideas and brought it back to Channel 5.  With new host Brian Dowling, and famous faces such as Kerry Katona and Paddy Doherty, who would eventually go on to win, the method was simple, try to keep it as simple as possible.  It has become Channel 5’s highest rated show but it will never match the success that it had on C4.

     One person who would certainly want to forget 2011 in a hurry is Cheryl Cole and her fall from grace.  In May, she accepted the chance of a lifetime to join the new US version of The X-Factor, with aide Simon Cowell, who also quit the UK version.  The dream wasn’t to last long though as just two weeks into filming, she was sacked.  Initially this looked to be the work of Cowell but it later transpired that Fox wanted her out because her Newcastle accent would make American viewers struggle to understand her.  In either case, Cole returned back to the UK, more humiliated than when she left and her role of being “The Nation’s Sweetheart” was finally stripped for good when she had a fling with footballing ex Ashley Cole.  Reconciliation seemed on the cards until the tabloids stepped in with more stories of Ashley’s infidelity.  On X-Factor USA, Cole’s place on the judging panel was given to Nicole Scherzinger, a more well-favourable decision for many.  Fox stood by Scherzinger, despite criticism from experts in the States.  However, Nicole’s commitment to her solo career and her new job led to an amicable and publicised split with Formula One star, Lewis Hamilton.  The newspaper press has certainly come under scrutiny in 2011, with damming revelations at News International, of phone hacking at the News of the World.  Famous showbiz figures like Sienna Miller, Hugh Grant and Max Mosley were given liberal damages before the tarnished paper was closed down in July.

AWARDS: Huge success for Colin Firth and The King's Speech

     In the film world, it’s been one dramatic year with several grossing films and rave reviews for several flicks than ever before.  The King’s Speech topped the bill with its success at both the BAFTA’s and the Oscars whilst after ten years; the Harry Potter saga finally came to an end with the last film based on the final book of the series.  Other top talking films of the year include Cars 2, The Inbetweeners Movie and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.  In the land of music, there has been a frequent share of old and new talent at the top of the charts this year.  Acts like Jessie J and Ed Sheeran have made phenomenal starts in their careers this year whilst established talent such as Pixie Lott and the Saturdays continue to challenge for supremacy, the latter still somehow have not managed a Number 1 single yet!  Of course, there are acts that are just in it for the money – 2011 will go down as the year that Jedward began their course to world domination!  A successful appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest, beating the much more challenging entry from Blue for the UK, coupled with third place on Celebrity Big Brother backs up the evidence.  In fact, they have recently announced they will try for Eurovision again next year, this year’s contest being won by a delightful entry from Azerbaijan.

     It’s been a torrid year for ITV with most of its popular programmes coming under the firing line for falling ratings.  The most publicised was Dancing on Ice.  A massive competition revamp designed to make it more entertaining and watchable had the opposite effect.  It flopped miserably and it has now called its future into question.  Daybreak has also suffered and amidst its constant thrashing in the ratings by BBC Breakfast, it is currently undergoing its own revamp over the New Year with its “star” presenters, Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley having already left.  

STUNNER: Amy Childs has had a year to remember

     If there was an award that the public could choose for, called ‘Sexiest Woman Of The Year’, favourable nominations like Abbey Crouch, Katy Perry and Michelle Keegan would all be distant runners-up in favour of a young Essex redhead, Amy Childs.  Having shot to fame on The Only Way Is Essex, it was no question that she would soon go for it alone and she did just that in August when she was another famous guest in the Celebrity Big Brother house.  Afterwards, she then went on to sign a lucrative deal with Channel 5 for her own reality series, currently be screened.  Love or loathe her, she will be around for much longer to come, just like her use of the phrase, “SHUT UP!”

     Someone who would certainly call 2011 as an “annus horribilis” is Simon Cowell.  After Britain’s Got Talent suffered a slump in ratings in the Spring, his multi-million pound gameshow Red Or Black? certainly didn’t stay out of the headlines but for all the wrong reasons.  Poorly constructed with nothing innovative about the format made it perhaps the biggest ever and most expensive flop in television history.

He then took a backseat when the all new X-Factor arrived in the UK.  Cole and Dannii Minogue had gone from the panel, along with Simon.  Established judge Louis Walsh was joined by Gary Barlow, Tulisa and Kelly Rowland for the new series.  Critical reception was of praise to start with but when it got to the live shows, the new judges didn’t seem up to scratch.  That and coupled with the usual off-stage controversy left viewers turning off in their droves.  The most damaging of all centred on Frankie Cocozza.  He seemed innocent and nice to start off with but when the live shows began, he was exposed as an act that really couldn’t sing and his behaviour off the show became more and more wild until he was eventually kicked out for breaking a ‘golden rule,’ alleged to have been taking cocaine.

     However, from the all of the stories of mistrust, X-Factor provided one great story to finish on.  One act came out of the shadows and defied the odds.  Girl group Little Mix – formed by the judges at bootcamp from four girls turned down first as soloists and then again under different constructed groups – were written off before a note was sung when it came to the live finals.  As the weeks progressed, they quickly gathered momentum though and the public began to get behind them.  They eventually sealed a fairytale triumph in the final, live in front of 10,000 fans at Wembley Arena, the first group ever to win the UK version of the show after its years of trying.  In the eight years of the show, there perhaps has been no other winner more popular than these girls but aside from it, it looks like the start of 2012 will perhaps see Cowell organise crisis meeting after crisis meeting to assess what went wrong with the show and how to restore it back to its former glory.

FAREWELL: We said a tragic goodbye to Amy Winehouse

     Every showbiz year of course sees several famous faces sadly leave us.  Some of the those who lost their lives in the last twelve months include Hollywood leading lady Elizabeth Taylor, Coronation Street icon Betty Driver and 80s legend Sir Jimmy Saville.  However, the most familiar name to pass away this year was singer Amy Winehouse.  Despite a fledging and promising career with millions of album sales and several awards on both sides of the Atlantic, her private life was always troubled and usually saw battles with alcohol and drug addictions.  Then on one dry Saturday afternoon in July, came news that she had been found dead in her London home at the tender age of 27.  Despite the woes of her private life, she will still be remembered for her unique contribution to music and her father Mitch has since gone on to set up a charity in her honour to help support young people who are battling their own addiction problems.

     All in all, who said life was dull in showbiz?  It never really is.  With big stories on all of its corners, to say 2011 was hectic is putting it mildly.  Who knows what next year will bring?  Unless you have a crystal ball, don’t even bother predicting!

Big Brother returns - Are you watching?

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

LAST Wednesday, the deed was done; one of Britain’s worst kept television secrets was exposed.  After being buried last summer by Channel 4, rivals Channel 5 have now resurrected Big Brother from its grave, to return later this year.

FORCE: Richard Desmond has taken a gamble, will it pay off?

     Richard Desmond, the multi-million newspaper investor and owner of the station, agreed a lucrative two-year deal with format makers Endemol to bring back the innovative show from oblivion, beating fierce competition from Sky1 for the show rights after Channel 4 ditched it last year.  The series will begin its rebirth with a celebrity special series, with James Cracknell, Andy Gray, Sienna Miller, Anne Widdecome and Jedward being widely mentioned to compete.  This will then be followed by the standard version of the show in which members of the ordinary public will take part to win £500,000 and a ticket to celebrity stardom.

     Marcus Bentley, who has achieved some course of fame for being the narrator of the show, with his rather dull and depressing take on events, is anticipated to return to the same role on this new version.  However Davina McCall will not reprise her role as host, deciding to concentrate on her successful Channel 4 quiz ‘The Million Pound Drop’ and possibly work on a few new projects for the broadcaster.  Speculation is thus rife as to who will be the new face of the show.  Top of the channel’s wish list is former housemate Brian Dowling whilst also being lined up is Kate Walsh, Denise Van Outen, Steve Jones and BBLB host George Lamb.  On another matter, it is unclear as to whether BBLB (Big Brother’s Little Brother) will return in this revival to air on one of Channel 5’s digital networks.

     When Big Brother launched back in 2000, it quickly became a national phenomenon.  It made several household names out of the ordinary people that dared to step into the house such as Brian Dowling, Kate Lawler and the late Jade Goody.  It also was very controversial, always hitting front-page headlines for outrageous events.  The racism row between Goody and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in the 2007 celebrity series was most damaging, receiving worldwide condemnation and even then Prime Minister Tony Blair was forced to fly to India to deliver a national apology.  After that, BB went into rapid decline as people could no longer trust the show and Channel 4 finally gave it the axe in 2009, airing what would have been its final series last year.

     This is without doubt as massive coup for Channel 5 as it has long needed a signature show for which it could be easily recognised for.  Richard Desmond has said that this is only just the beginning for big changes ahead at the broadcaster.  The one question is will it pay off?  I think it will personally struggle to captivate the audience watching.  However, only time will tell. 

Big Brother Disappears - Has It Gone For Good?

Big Brother is very similar to Marmite.  People either love it or hate it.  I was one of those in the latter category, but one thing that can’t be denied is that it made the significant breakthrough for reality television.  After a decade of rows, relationships and raunchiness, Big Brother departed from Channel 4’s screens on Friday night.

The last series that was recently aired was an Ultimate Edition of the show, which saw the return of some of BB’s most famous housemates including Ulrika Johnson, Chantelle Houghton and Nikki Grahame.  Friday’s show was won by Brian Dowling, who won the second series of the show, back in 2001.  Dowling was shocked to be revealed the winner by the host of the show Davina McCall, as he won the show against Grahame on a public vote.

Big Brother was created by Endemol, who are also behind other Channel 4 hit-shows 8 Out of 10 Cats and Deal or No Deal.  Its idea was to throw strangers into a house together and have them being watched by the public.  The winner of the show would earn £100,000 in cash.  Immediately from its inception in the year 2000, the show has been a major hit with many fans, though it hasn’t been any stranger to criticism from the media and government ministers. 

Big Brother has often been in the media spotlight and the tabloid newspapers have loved covering each series every summer.  Television broadcasters also have enjoyed reporting on Big Brother and it has often made the headlines.  Its most talked about moment of controversy came in the Celebrity edition of the show in 2007.  Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty was the victim of racist abuse from fellow housemates Jo O’Meara, Danielle Lloyd and Jade Goody.  OFCOM received nearly 45,000 complaints over the incident, whilst Channel 4 received 3,000 further complaints.  The broadcaster took a lot of stick from government ministers about its lack of involvement with the show and not protecting Shilpa’s integrity.  Shilpa went onto win the series, but the show’s reputation was tarnished for good.  The Carphone Warehouse terminated its sponsorship contract with Channel 4, the Celebrity edition was postponed for a year and viewing figures slowly declined. 

The most famous housemate in Big Brother’s reign was Jade Goody.  Despite being fully involved in the Shilpa Shetty racism row, Jade was loved or loathed by the nation.  She appeared in the third series of Big Brother, and her career took off in the media industry afterwards.  She won over the hearts of many with her cancer battle and despite being brave in battling the illness and highlighting the work that cancer charities do, she passed away on March 22^nd 2009.  On Friday night, Channel 4 screened a fitting tribute to the late and brave Jade Goody.  Although she wasn’t my favourite person in the world, her fight to battle the illness was remarkable and that she took some courage and determination on her part. 

There have been 11 regular editions of the shows and over 1000 episodes in the UK, plus various editions of the celebrity format.  Its peak came in 2002, when 9.2million on average watched the series, won by Kate Lawler.  Others winners include Nadia Almada, Brian Belo, Sophie Reade and Craig Phillips. 

There has been talk that the reality show could return next year, especially if Richard Desmond can strike a deal with Endemol to bring the show to Channel Five.  However, there is no doubt that Big Brother has had a major impact on television in the 21^st century, no matter of the differing opinions.  I hope we have seen the last of it, but that’s largely down to the stale content it was producing, rather than pure bitterness.  Whatever happens next, whether it returns on a different channel or not, it has cast a major legacy and Channel 4 will do very well to find a replacement show that will take on the mantle and achieve the high ratings that Big Brother managed.  

Crozier Laughs Off Desmond's Ambitious Plans

ITV boss Adam Crozier has laughed off the plans of Richard Desmond, as the Northern & Shell owner begins to stamp his authority on five.  Desmond has made cheeky bids to poach Coronation Street and the X-Factor.  When asked about this, Crozier said the following:

“Richard thanks for trying.”  “There’s a very short answer to that and it’s a very large no.”

Crozier was responding on the day when ITV announced its recent figures, as they try and bounce back from testing times, due to the recession.  ITV’s audience share stands at an average of 24.1%, compared to Five’s meagre audience share of 4.2%.  Crozier, the former chief executive of the FA during Sven-Goran Eriksson’s dismal reign as England coach and the figurehead of crisis-hit Royal Mail took over in March this year, after the departure of Michael Grade.  Grade labelled the recent recession as “the worst recession in living memory,” which saw slump in advertising revenues and cutback made in ITV’s regional news output.  Crozier insists that ITV are making a very strong recovery and hints that the recently poaching of former BBC stars Adrian Chiles, Jonathan Ross anc Christine Bleakley signal changing times ahead.  He also aims to oversee the launch of 3 new HD channels which will available exclusively to customers who subscribe to Virgin Media and BSkyB.  The first of these should be available to consumers this October.

Desmond paid £103.5million to buy Five last month from the German company, RTL.  Having made his money through adult television channels, plus his ownership in OK! Magazine and the Daily Express, Desmond has had to make significant and expected cuts at the channel, including the departure of seven senior members of staff, which was confirmed this afternoon.  Nevertheless, he plans to expand on the possible potential of Australian soaps Neighbours and Home & Away, both struggling to compete with the major UK soap opera players.  He has also signed exclusive deal with Warner Brothers to produce films for the channels, aims to improve on Five’s radical coverage of the UEFA Europa League and has plans to poach the highly controversial Panorama show and the doomed Big Brother, which is due to leave Channel 4 screens at the end of this month.

This move to poach some of ITV’s top shows was never ever going to be a reality, but it already shows Desmond’s commitment and desire to turn the fortunes of five around.  

Daring Desmond Buys Out Five

The future of Channel Five has been secured for now, after it was taken over last week by Richard Desmond, the owner of the Daily Star and the Daily Express.  Desmond’s company, Northern Shell completed its takeover with immediate effect from the German broadcaster RTL, in a deal worth an estimated £104 million.  RTL confirmed that a pick-up in the UK advertising revenue convinced them that it was the right time to sell.

Mr. Desmond, who has also indicated that he’d like to buy The Sun newspaper off Rupert Murdoch and News Corp of recent times, was delighted with his new acquisition:

“I am delighted to have taken over as ownership of the network, and know with the right leadership, drive and investment; it can go from strength to strength as a competitive broadcaster and a modern player for the big consumer.”

Richard Desmond has had a very enterprising career in the media industry since he left school with very few academic qualifications.  By the age of 21, he owned two record shops, and acquired the rights to the Daily Express in the year 2000 – through money that he had made in the adult entertainment market.  Under his ownership, the Daily Express and OK! Magazine seem to have thrived underneath his ownership, both on a content and commercial basis, which will make this move very positive for Dawn Airey, the chief executive of Five.

Channel Five was launched by the Spice Girls on March 31^st 1997, but was hit very hard by the slump in advertising revenues during the recession last year.  It has managed to rebuke several attempts and suggestions for a merger with Channel 4, but has struggled to make an impact on the major players in the terrestrial market.  Five is currently home to CSI, Flash Forward, UEFA Europa League Football and Australian soaps Home & Away and Neighbours. 

It is likely that Desmond will make significant cuts to begin with, like he has with the Daily Express.  However, he has already indicated that he wants to bring back Top of the Pops, and possibly attempt to revive Big Brother, currently in its final series with Channel 4.  It will be very interesting to see how things work out, but whilst RTL were only in the game for a moneymaking venture, Desmond’s takeover can only be seen as a positive step forward for Five.  Not only has it secured its future, which has been questionable for some time, but it will give them the stepping stone to start competing heavily with other channels in public broadcasting.           

Channel 4 - A Bleak Future Ahead?

This post was first published ontohttp://happydude88.livejournal.com/ on January 18th,

‘And so as the countdown to a new channel ends, a new countdown begins.’ Those were the first words spoken on Channel 4 in November 1982 by the late Countdown presenter, Richard Whitely. The question now is after twenty-seven years of established and controversial broadcasting, is the future bright or bleak for Britain’s 4th television station.

Channel 4 has been at the forefront of many groundbreaking and sensitive issues to millions of people. Who can forget the infamous lesbian kiss between Beth & Margaret on Brookside in December 1993. To a degree, despite the failings of ITV in recent years, Channel 4 is the biggest terrestrial broadcaster to suffer, thanks to the recession.

Advertising revenues have dropped significantly, major names have left for more lucrative deals elsewhere (e.g. Justin Lee-Collins recent defection to five) and top quality programmes have been dropped in a desperate attempt to keep the Channel in an established situation.

Paul O’Grady has left Channel 4 recently, he is moving back to ITV, and his show joins a list of others such as Wife Swap, Star Stories & the Secret Millionaire to have bitten the dust. Continued doubts remain over the future of the Sunday Night Project, T4 (the weekend winner for kids) and C4’s only decent attempt at the sporting market, the award-winning Channel 4 Racing. And whilst Hollyoaks, Dispatches, The Inbetweeners & Desperate Housewives continue to pull in the much-needed audience market, questions must be asked about the future of Channel 4 News, which is cutting back on its lunchtime programme, despite their impressive in-depth look at the major news headlines. Not forgetting, Deal or No Deal, which started as a rousing success in 2005, but has now become a serious bland of repeating nature that means the twenty-two red boxes have lost all meaning.

          

Of course, it is the axing of Big Brother which had suggested the company’s recent struggles. Starting in 2000, Big Brother became a national and international phenomena and a paramount view for many throughout an often wet summer. However, the racist row which dogged the Celebrity edition in 2007 meant it destroyed its public image and respect with many. After next summer, it will end up in the scrapheap and about time for an out-of-date format.

Despite all the doom and gloom, Channel 4 is still trying to promote new talent. Its ‘Generation Next’ series of last year turned into a massive hit, as has The Family and the comedy values which can leave any normal human being laughing in hysterics throughout the show. Peep Show and 8 Out of 10 Cats have been a pleasant distraction from the real-life problems that bug today’s society.


Andy Duncan is stepping down as Chief Executive at the end of the year and has overseen massive changes in his five years in the role. Can Channel 4 remain a strong force in today’s television industry? 2010 could be a make-or-break year for the company.