SOMEONE is moving into Coronation Street – as this exclusive pic shows.
Furniture retailer Harveys begin their £20m Corrie sponsorship a week tomorrow – Sunday Sept 30.
Many viewers have been puzzled by the disappearance of sponsorship around episodes this week.
The last Cadbury “bumper” ads were screened last Sunday – and ended without any fanfare with a post-final credits plug for Dairy Milk Melts.
Author: ianwylie
JAMES Nesbitt admits he’s not too hot on checking out the worldwide interweb.
“I’ve never been on eBay in my life,” he confessed last night.
“I’ve sent three emails.
“The first was: ‘This is me sending an email.’
“And the second was: ‘Yo!’
“And I sent one the other day to someone called Ray, saying, ‘I’m **** at this. Have I sent you an email?’”
But Manchester United fan Jimmy isn’t worried about missing the latest news on the club website.
“Oh, well, I can just phone up Alex.”
WAITING to catch last night’s triple BBC2 / BBC3 bill of Heroes, I checked out the web for sites linked to the show.
As you might guess there are quite a few, aside from the official sites listed in Monday’s blog.
If you haven’t discovered them yet for yourself, I’d recommend fan site 9th Wonders.
Within that I found a link to the latest blog by Greg Beeman, an executive producer and director on the show.
Written ahead of the start of series two in America, it contains mild spoilers and lots of pics of what the cast have been up to recently.
The music of Heroes is listed at HeroesSongs, which is up to speed with the pace of the episodes screened by NBC.
ONE of the many things I like about Coronation Street is the seamless mix of the young and not so young.
Jack P Shepherd is, quite rightly, attracting praise for his performance as devil child David Platt.
At just 19, the young actor has a big future ahead in Weatherfield.
Screen mum Gail has finally had enough in tonight’s episode and throws David out.
Most Street fans will also recognise the contribution made to the current storyline by actress Helen Worth, who plays Gail.
Meeting her again recently, I was struck by the enthusiasm she showed for both Corrie, her character and fellow cast members, including Jack, and Tina O’Brien, who plays her daughter Sarah.
This, it has to be remembered, from someone who has been working on the show for 33 years.
THOSE calling for the BBC’s digital channels to be axed as a money-saving measure obviously don’t watch them.
Yet again, BBC4 excels itself this week with a terrific 90-minute documentary.
Factory: Manchester From Joy Division To Happy Mondays tells the story of the record company that helped change the face of a city.
To be screened at 9pm this Friday, the film is dedicated to Tony Wilson, who died last month.
There’s a TV feature in today’s MEN – you can read the online version here.
The documentary, narrated by John Simm, includes interviews with many of the main figures involved in the story.
That includes former Happy Mondays star Paul Ryder, who recalls his heroin addiction.
THE brilliant Heroes – just like Life On Mars – doesn’t appear to be having much luck in awards ceremonies…so far.
One of the best American imports in recent years was snubbed at last night’s Emmy Awards.
It’s particularly puzzling that actor Masi Oka, who plays Hiro “Yatta!” Nakamura, missed out in the Supporting Actor category.
His performance as the teleporting Japanese comic book fan has been one of the TV joys of the year.
I trust Hiro will at some stage simply bend time and space to hand Masi the Emmy.
But who needs awards when we’ve still got so much to look forward to?
Series two of Heroes begins on NBC in America next Monday.
UK viewers are still some way behind.
THE end of an era approaches.
Michael Parkinson begins his last ever chat show series on ITV1 tomorrow night.
He says his style of show has maybe had its day.
And looking at ITV’s scheduling so far for Parky’s farewell, you can see his point.
Do you remember the fuss back in April 2004 when Michael announced his shock transfer from BBC1 to ITV?
He protested that he didn’t want to leave, but the BBC had won back football rights and revived Match of the Day.
Speaking then, he explained: “Effectively my spot had gone – when they bought the Premiership, they sold my playing field.”
Parky – who began his TV career as a reporter with Granada in Manchester – said he moved to ITV because he wanted a 10pm Saturday night slot.
“I had a choice – either retire and walk away or go elsewhere.
WOULD you care to waltz with this man?
It’s murder on the dance floor after Brian Capron was named today as one of 14 celebs taking part in the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The actor who played Coronation Street serial killer Richard Hillman may induce a quickstep or two among the other contestants.
He’s been paired with professional dancer Karen Hardy, who won last year’s series dancing with Mark Ramprakash.
WELL, I’m now half way through the new Michael Palin series and haven’t been disappointed.
The views are gorgeous, the photography stunning and the people he meets along the way revealing.
But it’s Michael’s writing and narration which elevates Michael Palin’s New Europe (BBC1, Sunday, 9pm) into something extra special.
At the end of the second instalment of his latest journey, he visits the fairytale land of Cappadocia in Turkey.
It’s here, in what he describes as a “wild and wonderful landscape”, that he has his fortune told via leaves in a coffee cup.
Among other things, Michael learns that he will meet a rich lady in an internet chat room.
“I can’t work the chatrooms,” is his bemused reply.
BUSY this week with interviews for major TV series due to be screened later this year and next.
There are some great tales to tell – but not just yet.
One series on screen a little sooner is The Royal, back on ITV1 from this Sunday night.
I’ve always been a fan of both Heartbeat and The Royal and never miss an episode of either show.
The critics hate both with a passion.
Do they ever bother to watch? Somehow I doubt it.
Both Sunday night favourites are still huge hits because they deliver what viewers want.
Life of Wylie 