October 2008 Archives

Have I Got News For You (Friday 9pm, BBC1)

In the week that David Tennant announces he is to leave Doctor Who, another legendary Time Lord takes the presenter’s chair in Have I Got News For You. Tom Baker is the man of the night, so expect lots of erudite banter from the Little Britain narrator (and some gags about Dalek bumps - or is that too smutty for the BBC now?)

The American Future: A History, by Simon Schama (Friday 9pm, BBC2)

On the eve of one of the US’s most crucial Presidential elections, Simon Schama brings his excellent series to a close as he looks at the role that immigration has played in the building of the country. There is some quite shocking stuff in here, but it’s always considered and expertly delivered by Schama.

Wire in the Blood (Friday 9pm, ITV1)

The concluding part of this Wire in the Blood investigation sees Tony Hill desperately trying to make a connection between the two serial killers stalking Bradfield. It’s as grim and gruesome as ever, and you wonder just how long the series can keep this format going, but the show is undeniably entertaining. Do they have to use so much blood though? It can be very off-putting when the Friday pizza arrives.

Speed (Friday 10.40pm, BBC1)

Erm…

Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Saturday 7pm, ITV1)

After the week the broadcasting industry has had, we all need a laugh, so thank the Lord for Harry Hill and his cheeky brand of humour. He’ll steer clear of Ross and Brand for sure, but the usual suspects, from Bear Grylls to EastEnders, will be in the firing line. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Harry gives his verdict on the final of The Restaurant.

Merlin (Saturday 7.30pm, BBC1)

Another week, another timeslot. Really, Auntie, stop this, it’s getting silly. Tonight’s adventure with everyday Arthurian folk is the usual run of the mill stuff with evil magical types pitching up at Camelot, pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes, and then Merlin has to save the day again. Nice effects, some engaging performances, but low on incident. Most of Merlin’s stories could be told in 20 minutes, and I’m desperate for some more meat on the bones. More doing, less talking please.

Dead Set (Saturday 10pm, E4)

If you’ve missed it, settle down for this omnibus of all five episodes of Charlie Brooker’s excellent zombie horror yarn set in the Big Brother House. Scarily brilliant.

Top Gear (Sunday 8pm, BBC2)

They’re back! Clarkson, Hammond, May and the Stig return with one of the BBC’s most-prized formats. Top Gear has been something of an unlikely success story over the last few years, but it continues to be entertaining and as watchable as ever. I have some reservations about the show’s cavalier attitude to the environment, but this blokey, almost laddish cocktail hits the spot with a wide range of viewers. Sometimes you can’t argue with that.

Sharpe’s Peril (Sunday 9pm, ITV1)

There’s something quite comforting about the adventures of Richard Sharpe, and so we bid the hero of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling novels a welcome return as Sean Bean once again raises his rifle. Our Richard is looking forward to returning home and having a break from derring do, but he has one last task to take care of in India - escorting an upper class French lady to a nearby hill station. Of course, it just can’t be that easy, can it? As ever, Daragh O’Malley is on hand as Sharpe’s bezzie mate Patrick Harper.

Consuming Passion: 100 Years of Mills and Boon (Sunday 9pm, BBC4)

Who could resist this frothy, inter-linked drama to celebrate that most industrious of publishing houses, Mills and Boon? The lovely Jodie Whittaker, Peep Show legend Olivia Colman and Silent Witness’s Emilia Fox play three women separated across a century, all with lives, loves and aspirations. It’s a fascinating, three-pronged examination of romance across the last 100 years and the place Mills and Boon still holds in the heart of the nation.

• You Only Live Twice Radio 7, 12.00pm

  The first of several programmes this week on the BBC networks tying in with the cinema release of the latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace and the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth (see also last week’s reading of Casino Royale by Alex Jennings). Michael Jayston stars in this adaptation of Fleming’s 12th James Bond novel.

• Saturday Play: The Late Mr Shakespeare Saturday Radio 4, 2.30pm

  As a boy actor, Pickleherring played Viola, Juliet and Cleopatra for Shakespeare’s own theatre company. Now in his 80s, he finally discovers what it mean to fall in love… Jim Broadbent stars as Pickleherring in this adaptation of Robert Nye’s play.

• The Fourth, The Fifth, The Minor Fall Saturday Radio 2, 7.00pm

  Possibly singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s most well-known work, the song Hallelujah has been covered by over 120 artists including Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright and John Cale. Elbow frontman Guy Garvey explores the history of the song, meeting artists and recording engineers involved in various versions of the song.

• Elaine Paige on Sunday Sunday Radio 2, 1.00pm

  The Ian Fleming/James Bond theme to the week continues, as Miss Paige presents a special edition featuring some of the most beloved Bond themes, musical scores and a few surprises.

• Classic Serial: On The Beach Sunday Radio 4, 3.00pm

  Mike Walker adapts Nevil Shute’s post-apocalyptic novel. As radioactive clouds roll across the globe, Commander Towers and his crew arrive in Australia, where they discover a radio signal coming from Seattle…

• The Choir Sunday Radio 3, 6.30pm
  BBC Radio 2 Young Choristers of the Year Sunday Radio 2, 8.00pm

  As the final rounds of Radio 3’s Choir of the Year approach, Aled Jones catches up with current champions, Chantage. Later on, Radio 2 hosts its finals to find the young Choristers of the Year, in an event due to be recorded in St Paul’s Cathedral today.

• Drama on 3: 24 Weeks Sunday Radio 3, 9.15pm

  Scriptwriter Tony Marchant, perhaps best known for his TV works including Holding On and The Mark of Cain, presents a provocative new play about abortion. Part of Radio 3’s Free Thinking festival weekend, the play is due to be recorded tomorrow, Saturday.

• 15-Minute Musical Wednesday Radio 4, 11.00pm

  The series of spoof musical satires returns with Washington High School Musical, in which school pupils Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton compete to be president of Washington High. Richie Webb, David Quantick and Dave Cohen are on writing duties with Webb, Dave Lamb and Vicki Pepperdine performing.

• Friday Night is Bond Night Friday Radio 2, 7.30pm

  Concluding the Bond-themed radio programmes for the week, Mike Dixon conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra and a host of singing stars in a concert celebrating the music of the Bond films. Performers include David McAlmont, Mica Paris, Tom Baxter and Jodie Prenger. Some of TV Today’s resident Loppies were in attendance, thanks to Lee Mead performing From Russia With Love — his performance hasn’t been mentioned in the programme notes, but hopefully will be included in the broadcast. (UPDATE: They were two different concerts. My error completely — many apologies!) During the interval, David Arnold talks about his composition of five Bond scores and his album of Bond covers, Shaken and Stirred.

• Private Peaceful Friday Radio 2, 9.15pm

  As Remembrance Sunday approaches, Radio 2 takes the opportunity to repeat this four-part adaptation, read by Robson Green, of Michael Morpurgo’s 2004 novel about brotherly love set during the First World War. The same author’s War Horse will be airing on Saturday 8th.

This week, our remaining ten couples will each be doing a different dance from the Strictly Come Dancing repertoire. As a result, there just wasn’t room on this week’s scoresheet to include all the historical information about each dance, as we’ve done for the last couple of weeks. On the upside, that did mean that (with a bit of jiggery pokery) the scoresheet is back onto two pages.

Download the Week 7 scoresheet [PDF]

While you’re here, why not check out these other offerings from The Stage:

• Hear Len Goodman talk to Matthew Hemley about the show’s win at the National Television Awards, taking a week off from Dancing With The Stars and his man-flu

• Read our review of Britannia High, Arlene Phillips’ new project for ITV

• Looking for dance-related gift ideas? Have a look around The Stage Strictly Store, powered by Amazon.co.uk. The Strictly Annual 2008 is currently £7.79 - over £5 cheaper than the store price. There are also dance instructional books and DVDs, as well as biographies of Len and Craig and more…

The weather’s turned bitter, nobody has any money (there’s a credit crunch on, you know?), ITV’s shares are in the gutter, David Tennant is leaving Doctor Who and the BBC is on the brink of destruction following the so-called Manuelgate scandal involving Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand.

But come on, let’s look on the bright side, it’s not all that bad. Is it? If you look around the multi-channel landscape, there’s surely something that you can find to sooth a fevered brow, to raise a smile, to make you realise that telly is still great and not really broken.

Only on Monday night was I thinking how much my cup runneth owner with rather good telly at the moment, my idle thoughts sparked off by the spectacular opening of the new series of Spooks.

When Strictly Come Dancing was announced as the winner of last night’s Most Popular Talent Show at the National Television Awards, the show’s top judge Len Goodman was not there to join the rest of the programme’s team in collecting the gong. For one, he told me he is currently suffering from a “man cold”, meaning if he had gone he would not have been “on top form”. But more than that, he just doesn’t like the hype and attention that comes with big awards shows like the NTAs.

I would not have gone anyway. I don’t like red carpets. I like being there but I can’t stand walking up the carpets. It would have been lovely to have gone but I am glad I didn’t.

The title says it all really!

While cyberspace goes mad with the news that David Tennant has just anounced, live on air at the National Television Awards, that he will be leaving the best role on television at the end of 2009, TV Today wishes David the very best fortune for what is doubtless going to be a continuing stellar career.

You have earned your place in the hearts of the TV viewing audience as one of the very best Doctor Whos of all time, and you will be missed. But we’ve got four more specials to enjoy before you hang up the Tardis keys for good, and we can’t wait to see them.

Roll on Christmas - Allons-y!

Even bigger than the hoo-ha over Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand is the other top news story of the week - the BBC has cancelled the Christmas Day edition of Top of the Pops! What, I ask, fresh madness is this?

The Christmas Top of the Pops is as much a part of Christmas as presents round the tree, turkey and stuffing, mince pies, James Bond and granddad falling asleep in front of the Queen’s Speech. As far as I am concerned, the BBC has ruined Christmas!

Well, not really, although in the current climate, I’m sure those headlines aren’t too far away. But this does seem a silly piece of Christmas chicanery. What, one asks, is Auntie going to replace the show with? So the last Christmas edition rated at just over 3 million viewers, which really isn’t that bad considering at that time of the day, the total TV audience is not huge as people are sitting down to eat (or have the annual family argument). The show usually served as a nice little break in our house to get a breather from family, and it’s always a hoot to see stars dressed up in Santa hats having a bit of a laugh.

At a time when the world and his wife are complaining about the BBC, it’s worth noting a project which illustrates the real value that the Corporation is able to provide from its unique historical archive.

The latest collection from the BBC Archives is a celebration of the unique place that Liverpool, City of Culture 2008, has in the UK’s musical heritage. Featuring TV and radio programmes and excerpts, the collection illustrates that there is far more to its cultural contribution than just the Beatles — though, of course, they’re represented here.

The key programme in the collection is the 1965 documentary, The Singing City, which looks at how the port’s Welsh and Irish roots contributed to its vibrant musical tradition. But modernisation was an encroaching threat:

In 1965, Liverpool council displaced thousands of families from the city centre, rehousing them in the suburbs. This documentary looks at the immediate effects of this migration, and at different aspects of Liverpool’s cultural makeup, from Catholic and Protestant rituals to football terraces, comedians like Ken Dodd and a deep-rooted folk music tradition.

Included in the rest of the collection are contributions from Gerry Marsden, Brian Epstein, Holly Johnson, Pete Wylie and Roger McGough.

• BBC Archive - Music from the Mersey

A very quick musing today, but of course the biggest story of the broadcasting world at the moment are the antics of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross and their offensive messages left on actor Andrew Sachs’s answer phone. This does stray into the territory of our Turn off the TV section, but has wider implications for television broadcasting and Ross’s wider work within the BBC.

Not to come over all prudish and Daily Mail, but I’m finding myself rather incensed by the whole thing. Perhaps this is a sign that I’ve finally become old and reactionary (finally?), but is this kind of insulting, sub-playground behaviour from two personalities who are paid rather a lot of money (our money) to do what they do, what we expect from the BBC? I mean, it was Radio 2, usually such a bastion of genteel, witty banter. Not this rubbish.

Spooks (Monday 9pm, BBC1)

A good night for TV as the slick, stylish and always entertaining Spooks returns for a seventh series. Time has moved on since the cliff-hanger ending of last season that saw top spy Adam cradling Jo in his arms - but did he shoot her? Aside from the resolution to last year, there’s also a new cast member in the form of Richard Armitage playing Harry’s former protégé Lucas North. It’s a far cry from Robin Hood’s Guy of Gisborne for the actor, and it looks like North will be the replacement for Adam when Rupert Penry-Jones leaves later this series. And even better, Hermione Norris is back as Ros - bring it on! Episode 2 is tomorrow at 9pm.

Wired (Monday 9pm, ITV1)

Final part of the mildly engaging thriller starring Jodie Whittaker as a bank a manager drawn into a high-risk scam to siphon off millions from the bank she works for. There are twists and turns galore as you don’t know who is loyal to whom, with Whittaker’s likable Louise playing everybody off against each other. Enjoyable, but hardly highbrow.

Dead Set (Monday10pm, E4)

Charlie Brooker takes a break from burning our screens in his Guardian column to scribe this intriguing horror tale that gives a Davina McCall a rather horrifying makeover. The dead are walking, and their victims are getting up too - zombiegeddon has come to Britain, but the only ones who are blissfully unaware of this are the contestants in the Big Brother House. No, really! It’s eviction night, and the zombies are coming to get the housemates. As the week unfolds, the housemates are picked off by the zombie horde, including a terrifying Davina McCall. A brilliant fusion of horror, reality TV, and a light dusting of comedy, Dead Set could be the hippest show on TV this year.

Emmerdale (Tuesday 7pm, ITV1)

It’s rare for us to give the nod to Emmerdale in Square Eyes, but sometimes its nice to see what’s going on with these country folk. And tonight is worth looking at for an appearance from Aussie soap royalty, Mark Little, making a guest turn here as a new man in Louise Appleton’s life (as played by another antipodean soap graduate Emily Symons). With Louise’s engagement to Jamie Hope on the skids, will she head home to Australia alone?

Spooks (Tuesday 9pm, BBC1)

Second part of this tense new series sees the team picking up the pieces of the literally explosive events of last night’s opener. Which means lots of running around looking stern and shouting at people. And Richard Armitage seems to spend an inordinate amount of time with his shirt off, displaying North’s impressive array of tattoos picked up in a Russian prison.

The National Television Awards (Wednesday 8pm, ITV1)

The annual bun fight for TV types, these awards are quite hotly contested as they are all voted for by us, the viewers. It’ll be the usual cavalcade of soapies and reality TV hobbits, but of great interest to many will be the face-off between Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate, who are both up for best drama performance. Could it be too close to call?

The Restaurant (Wednesday 8pm, BBC2)

The challenge for the two remaining couples in the final of one of the year’s best TV shows is a doozy. The hopefuls must cook a meal for some highly discerning diners in the cramped kitchens of a luxury train. Crikey, that’s not going to be hard, especially as the couples squabble at the best of times. Expect scathing comments from Sarah, David, and the man himself, Raymond Blanc who will be the one declare he’s going into business with one the couples. Brilliant!

EastEnders (Thursday 7.30pm, BBC1)

A tense, hour long EastEnders focusing on ginger-haired scamp Max Branning who has gone out of his way to alienate just about everybody in his life - friends and enemies alike. But there’s a moment of hope for Mr B as a heart to heart with ex-missus Tanya ends in a snog. What the…?! She was trying to bury him alive not so long back! But Max is heading for trouble as the episode winds up with the dodgy dealer heading for a car/road interface situation - but which of the many likely suspects is at the wheel? Don’t expect to find out for some time to come!

Little Dorrit (Thursday 8.30pm, BBC1)

After Sunday’s well-paced opener, this sumptuous Dickens adaptation from the dream team of the BBC and Andrew Davies hits its stride with the move to 30-minute episodes. Arthur Clenman (Matthew Macfadyen) stoically wanders around proceedings, trying to find out if his family put the boot into the Dorrits years ago, while making eyes at little Amy (she’s nearly half his age!). It’s brilliantly executed from the lovely visuals, frothy words and master class acting, and tonight’s instalment introduces even more memorable grotesques for us to delight at.

Life (Thursday 10pm, ITV3)

With Max Branning’s woes being played out on BBC1 earlier in the evening, you can barely move for redheads tonight as Damian Lewis turns US TV star in this promising new cop drama. Detective Charlie Crews was sent down for a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. Fast forward a good few years, and new evidence exonerates the flame-haired ‘tec, and so with a massive settlement for damages in his account and years of reading Zen Buddhism, he’s back on the force. It’s a nice character hook for the series, and Lewis (always good to see a Brit doing well abroad) carries off what could be some quite mawkish material with great charm. The series around it fairly bog-standard, but Life has enough quirks to make it a worthwhile watch.

You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here’s where you start paying. Starting with your dignity and self-respect.

Let’s talk about Jonathan Harvey. On the one hand, he’s produced some excellent plays (Beautiful Thing being a particular favourite), some of Coronation Street’s finest recent episodes, and his new BBC2 sitcom Beautiful People is never less than watchable, even if it’s not exactly setting the ratings alight. While Gimme Gimme Gimme was rarely to my personal taste, it at least showed that he was skilled in plotting, pacing and with an eye for a good, if often tasteless, gag.

On the other hand, his script for the first episode of performing arts drama series Britannia High is just awful. It’s so thin, and has so many holes, that you could easily mistake it for one of Mark Foster’s Strictly Come Dancing outfits.

And that’s a shame, because beating somewhere within Britannia High is the seed of a great little series of the sort that ITV hasn’t produced for years…

This week, our eleven remaining couples had to contend with either the romanticism of the Viennese Waltz, or the fiery passion of the Paso Doble. Nearly all of them struggled this week, with some of the strongest contenders slipping up, while one or two of the stragglers really tried to up their game. But all in all, it did feel like one of the weaker shows of the series so far — at least until John Sergaeant took to the floor…

Full reviews of each competitive dance, with video, after the jump.

British television comedy is a much-debated topic, and there are more than enough people who will not hold back when it comes to saying what they really think. Earlier this year, we ran a piece carrying comments from Father Ted creator Graham Linehan, who criticised the fact too much comedy relies on shock-tactics and swearing to make people laugh. Linehan said writers should aim to be cleverer with their content in a bid to challenge themselves and force themselves to be more imaginative with their humour - and also to create shows that can be enjoyed by everyone.

And it seems he is not alone. Earlier this week I interviewed Mark Benton - the man best known to many as the banker in the Nationwide adverts and who has also appeared in comedies such as Early Doors. Benton told me comedy is harder to make if you refrain from swearing and dirty jokes and claimed his forthcoming comedy, Clash of the Santas - which also stars Robson Green - had to be that much cleverer with its content because it was aiming for a family audience.

After last week’s mammoth round-up, there’s a shorter list of new stuff to watch out for on radio this week. Of course, ongoing series like Alan Carr’s Comedy Outings are still worth tuning in to, and for many of last week’s items they will still be available on iPlayer for a while.

BBC Electric Proms: Saturday Night Fever Radio 2, Saturday 7.30pm
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest movie soundtrack albums of all time, this concert (part of the BBC Electric Proms season) brings together Bee Gee Robin Gibb with Sam Sparro, Sharleen Spiteri and the BBC Concert Orchestra. It’s likely that this performance will also be available in video at the EP dedicated iPlayer page, where you can also find a fantastic concert by Burth Bacharach featuring Adele and Jamie Cullum.

The Wire: Nowt to Look At Radio 3, Saturday 9.00pm
Valerie Laws writes of Annie (played by Pat Dunn), a disfigured recluse “whose head now floats in a pathology museum jar” in a play about deformity and self-image.

Doctor Who: Max Warp Radio 7, Sunday 6.00pm (repeated midnight)
The second self-contained play in this Paul McGann/Sheridan Smith series is notable mainly for its thinly veiled satire on a certain well-known TV motoring show for petrolheads. Instead of Jeremy, James and the Hamster, we get Graeme Garden, James Fleet and Duncan James. The satire is gentle, but is the best thing about this otherwise slight episode.

Drama on 3: Caligari Radio 3, Sunday 8.00pm
Poet Amanda Dalton adapts the classic German expressionist film Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari for radio. Given that the original film is one of the all-time great silent movies, an audio-only adaptation is intriguing, to say the least.

Stage to Screen: Gypsy Radio 4, Tuesday 1.30pm
Based on the memoirs of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, the role of Gypsy’s mother was created for Ethel Merman — but played on screen by Rosalind Russell. Paul Gambaccini explores the history of the musical, with contributions from Patti LuPone, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents.

Bruce and Sammy Radio 2, Tuesday 10.30pm
Bruce Forsyth presents a personal tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr., the consummate all-rounder whose life was marked by political controversy, racial prejudice and more than his fair share of tragedy. Archive material of Davis’s performances is combined with new interviews with Englebert Humperdinck, Paul Anka, Lionel Blair and Laurie Holloway.

Afternoon Play: Memorials to the Missing Radio 4, Thursday 2.15pm
This rerun of Stephen Graves’ play was scheduled before it was revealed that it has won the Tinniswood Award, for the best original drama broadcast on radio in 2007. According to the judges:

This is a play about burying the dead — primarily the dead soldiers of the First World War, which had an impact on the disposal of corpses of those killed in all subsequent wars. Interestingly it is based on fact, on the efforts of one man, Major General Fabian Ware, to persuade the authorities, against strong opposition from Church and State, to establish cemeteries of identifiable graves for those killed in battle. This led to the establishment of The Imperial War Graves Commission of which Ware was put in charge and for which, again against strong opposition, ecclesiastical and architectural, Sir Edwin Lutyens provided the design plans.

So much for fact. The fiction imagines the voices of dead soldiers, reading their diaries or thinking their thoughts aloud, who seek the recognition of their buried remains by mourning relatives. We hear too the relatives searching for an identifiable place to mourn over their lost loved ones.

This intermingling of fact and fiction makes for a poignant play which is perfect for radio and a play, not without humour, of great emotional power. All the judges privately confessed that it reduced them to tears - and they are no “softies” either!

The American Future: A History by Simon Schama (Friday 9pm, BBC2)

This excellent series continues as the United States is on the verge of a possibly history changing presidential election. This week, Schama turns his attentions to the role that religion has played in moulding the course of American politics. It’s a fascinating insight from the always enthusiastic and ebullient Schama (and I bet he likes The Tudors…)

Wire in the Blood (Friday 9pm, ITV1)

Somebody is wandering Bradfield offing homeless men with a single knife blow, and so another mystery begins for Dr Tony Hill and the hopeless plod of Bradfield. But forget the case in hand, Tony has himself a date with Alex (my word, you can get sushi in Bradfield, how gauche), so the serial killer will have to wait for while. You may want to watch the date scene through your fingers… The story concludes next Friday.

Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live (Friday 9pm, C4)

Following the success of the first cookalong, GR is back for an extended run that aims to get you to cook a meal for four in an hour - with added potty mouth, no doubt. This is like *Jamie’s Ministry of Food *for the middle classes, and actually feels much more useful than Jamie’s crusading enterprises in Rotherham. Everybody has a TV, so what better way than getting the message across than beaming straight into the audience’s home and telling them how to do it.

Merlin (Saturday 5.50pm, BBC1)

Unusually, this episode of Merlin hasn’t been sent randomly spinning across the schedules and retains a (just about) consistent timeslot from last week. And it’s a good one, with Julian Rhind-Tutt on fine form as a creepy sorcerer who puts the ‘fluence on Morgana with his magic, ear-invading beetles. And Gaius (Richard Wilson) is under pressure to save the princess - no doubt magic will play a part somewhere. Poor Uther, so intent is he on banishing magic from Camelot that he doesn’t notice the place is crawling with magic types.

Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Saturday 7.15pm, ITV1)

As the cold winter nights draw in, we can all be thankful that Harry Hill is around to give us a belly laugh at his droll observations on the week in telly. Sublime.

Strictly Come Dancing/The X Factor (Saturday 6.35pm/7.45pm, BBC1/ITV1)

Both shows are now into their stride and we’re well on the way to the Christmas climaxes in a couple of months. On Strictly, the remaining hopefuls are dancing a Viennese Waltz or a Paso Doble to wow the judges and the audiences at home. Over on The X Factor, it’s big band week, which might just separate the men from the boys. If Daniel isn’t in the bottom two this week, there will be trouble. Scott, as always, will provide his thoughts on Strictly before the weekend is out.

Mad Men (Saturday 11.30pm, BBC4)

A joyous repeat of this excellent drama that wowed critics and audiences alike. This episode is a stylish scene setter for the shocks ahead. A second series is due in the New Year.

Britannia High (Sunday 6.15pm, ITV1)

Arlene Phillips puts her name to this energetic drama that’s perfect for a teen audience. Set in a London performing arts school, we follow six teenagers in their efforts to win fame as fortune. Obviously the High School Musical parallels are there, but the main influence here is 1980s phenomenon Fame. The script is surprisingly zippy, which raises it above a simple cash in on what’s popular right now, but I do have some reservations on the timeslot. A Saturday night at 6pm might be more appropriate, but time will tell. Watch out for Scott’s insights into the show following the first episode.

Little Dorrit (Sunday 8pm, BBC1/BBCHD)

I am rubbing my hands in glee at the prospect of some top notch Dickens from the masters at the BBC - even more so now I’ve entered the realms of having the BBC HD channel - just think, Alun Armstrong in pin-sharp detail. Matthew MacFadyen is Arthur Clenman attempting to carry out his father’s death-bed wishes of righting some undefined family wrong. Elsewhere, Amy Dorrit (the titular Little) is stuck looking after her father in a debtor’s prison. After tonight’s hour-long opener, there will e two, half-hour instalments per week of this cracking period piece, as with Bleak House. Expect Bafta’s galore for this…

A Touch of Frost (Sunday 8.15pm, ITV1)

I’ve been enjoying this new run of Frost immensely - it provides a sleepy, but tense, end to the weekend, and David Jason seems just at home with his other signature character than ever before. Same he’s giving it up, but let’s enjoy Jack while we have him. This week, the discovery of a shallow grave containing three bodies bristles the veteran detective’s moustache more than usual. Good stuff.

In Love with Barbara (Sunday 9pm, BBC4/BBC HD)

Another fantastic drama based on the life of a larger than life figure from BBC4. Anne Reid is utterly fantastic here as Barbara Cartland, giving a rounded turn as a personality who has perhaps been unfairly portrayed over the years. Reid certainly humanises the scribbler of romantic novels in this frothy piece about her lives and loves. And into the bargain you get the always-wonderful David Warner as sometime suitor Dickie Mountbatten. A winning contribution!

Now that all our couples are competing against one another, it really does feel as if the competition has started in earnest, doesn’t it? Still, it carries on from now until Christmas, which I’m kidding myself is way, way off…

After last week’s mammoth 12-couple score sheet, I’ve streamlined this week’s a little. The dancers’ and Sunday dance-off score elements now fit back onto two pages, leaving page 3 for the leaderboard and a Strictly history of this week’s dances, the Paso Doble and the Viennese Waltz. Plus, there’s a plug for something that may be of interest as you’re planning for the aforementioned festive season…

Strictly Come Dancing scoresheet, week 6 [PDF] (right-click and select ‘Save As…’ or equivalent)

If you’re looking for any Strictly Come Dancing-related Christmas gift ideas, check out our new store, powered by amazon.co.uk. You’ll find this year’s official annual, the new CD of music from the series, the DVD of the live tour and much more, including Len and Craig’s biographies, various “teach yourself” dance DVDs and more. If you, a friend or relative love Strictly and you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas, where else would you need to go?

After last week’s stats trivia fest, there’s not much new statistics-wise to report, except possibly that in the entire run of all the series (excluding, as ever, Christmas specials where everybody votes as if they’ve had a little too much sherry), so far the judges have awarded 12,499 points between them over the course of 443 competitive dances.

No surprises for who has awarded the fewest points (Craig, with 2,857). Arlene is third with 3,041, beaten by Bruno with 3,263 and Len with 3,338.

All those stats mean that Craig will, with the next lift of one of his voting paddles, award the 12,500th point in Strictly Come Dancing history. Let’s just hope that the dance in question is good enough to merit a few more points on top…

In this week’s print issue of The Stage (and also reproduced online), a writer to the letters page wonders whether racism is a reality in TV talent shows:

I just wanted to get the chance to bring up an issue that has repeatedly come to my attention over the last year observing reality TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, I’d Do Anything, Last Choir Standing and The X-Factor and which I’m sad to say has very much been the case since these programmes began.

In these shows contestants of ethnic minorities are repeatedly voted off by the British public in situations where they are held in better esteem by their fellow contestants/judges/leaderboards than their white rivals indicating the ‘support your own ethnic/class group’ mentality of the British public, which surely makes any of these competitions unfair and must be very dispiriting for an ethnic minority performer in Britain.

Last week, of course, we had a Strictly Come Dancing dance-off between the only two ethnic minority celebrities, actor Don Warrington and singer Heather Small, despite three other couples receiving lower marks from the judges.

So does our letter writer have a point?

Our modern television landscape is great, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Sure, there are lots of channels and lots of dross to sift through (Bonekickers for instance), but good television is there for the taking.

And for me, right now, the good television is coming from yesteryear, thanks to the marvellous Alibi, part of UKTV’s channel rebranding (which seems to have made a laughing stock of Richard and Judy - oh well). While there might be the usual suspects rubbing shoulders on this archive channel - Waking the Dead, Spooks, New Tricks - there is one show that is sitting head and shoulders above the rest - Shoestring.

This is where a channel like Alibi comes into its own, and why I always used to love UK Gold - it would occasionally put out shows that have been rarely repeated since first transmission. Through these channels I discovered the joys of Survivors (the remake is almost upon us), Cribb, Callan and others. But Shoestring, for some reason, has remained somewhat mythical. I would have been eight when Trevor Eve’s first starring role came to BBC1 and pulled in huge audiences, but aside from a blink-and miss-it heavily edited daytime rerun in 2002, the show has remained resolutely unshown.

Just catching up on a few items in despatches form the last few days, but I was rather amused by Dr David Starkey’s somewhat scathing (and some would say justified) attack on The Tudors which, as regular readers will know, I absolutely adore. Although even I must admit, coming back for a third season without Natalie Dorma’s divine Anne Boleyn is going to be a tall order…

Starkey, speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, said of the historically inspired drama series:

“It is brutal dumbing down. It’s okay for the Americans to do it but is it ok for the BBC to wreck one of the greatest parts of history?”

While we were all over the UK launch of Disney’s High School Musical 2 when it aired on the Disney Channel last year, this week’s premiere of its sequel, High School Musical 3: Senior Year is something we’ve overlooked, not least because it’s a cinematic release and therefore outside The Stage’s remit.

However, the BBC’s best film critic, Radio 5Live and The Culture Show’s Mark Kermode, is on the case. The latest instalment from his video blog is one of the more, shall we say unusual reviews you’ll see — right up to (and beyond) the point where you think, “No… he isn’t… he wouldn’t… oh my god, he is”:

• BBC: Mark Kermode - High School Musical 3

My, that was a long show, wasn’t it? Twelve couples is a lot of dances to get through. Then again, it’s the same number of couples as we had last year when the male and female celebrities were united in week 3. And, looking back, I think the breadth of ability of the celebrities was broadly similar — we had some no-hopers, some people who could undoubtedly do better and one or two who clearly had potential to win. And we had one celebrity who was so bad that the public voted in droves to keep them in for sheer entertainment value.

That’s not to say that this year’s series is shaping up to be a retread of last year — far from it, in fact. Full reviews of all the competitive dances, with their now-customary video recaps, after the jump.

Coronation Street (Monday 7.30/8.30pm, ITV1)

It’s the aftermath of Friday’s dramatic events that saw Liam Connor hail a cab to the big knicker factory in the sky - those Connor boys really need to stay away from cars. Maria is still in a daze, but how will Carla cope when she visits the grieving wife with her murderous fiancé? Elsewhere, Sally is back from her trip, but the pout is well and truly wiped from Rosie’s face as she is kept prisoner in a cold attic miles from anywhere.

Amazon with Bruce Parry (Monday 9pm, BBC2)

A downbeat end to Bruce Parry’s voyage of discovery, as the realities facing the tribes of the Amazon in the future are laid bare. Increased farming and deforestation are eroding a way of life, and Parry is quite clear about his views on this. A brilliant series that leaves us with a lot to think about.

Wired (Monday 9pm, ITV1)

This silly but enjoyable drama thriller continues as the true extent of the scam carried out by our conspirators comes to light. Jodie Whittaker and Laurence Fox rise above some fairly outrageous material and manage to make their characters vaguely well drawn. Whittaker gives manipulated bank worker Louise a winsome likeability as she battles with her conscience over her recent actions, while Fox provides a great villain far removed from his slightly more cuddly persona as Sergeant Lewis’s sidekick. Wired concludes next week.

Sunshine (Tuesday 9pm, BBC1)

This lovely little drama from Craig Cash and Phil Mealey comes to an end as Bing (a rather excellent Steve Coogan - which is a relief after last week’s criticisms of his live show) attempts to beat his gambling addiction once and for all and win back his wife. He has a lot of hurdles to overcome, and then there are his dad’s problems waiting to come to light - will they send Bing spiralling back into the grip of addiction? There’ll be tears and laughter before bedtime, mark my words…

Jamie’s Ministry of Food (Tuesday 9pm, C4)

After talk last week of Jamie tattooing Rotherham on his arse, and this series’s obsession with meatballs, Ministry of Food has been a somewhat bilious show to watch. Still, you have to admire Mr O’s pluck in trying to spread the word to the peoples of Rotherham about how easy it is to cook cheap, nutritious food. There clearly needs to be some jeopardy in a show of this nature, a bit of drama to raise the stakes, and this final episode has it in spades. Will the mayor of Hull like his meatballs?

Bear Grylls: Born Survivor (Tuesday 10pm, Discovery)

Sometimes I wish I was called Bear. Just think, Bear Wright: Born Blogger. Usually worth watching for a giggle, and there’s always the chance that Harry Hill will have something to say about this come Saturday’s Burp…

Desperate Housewives (Wednesday 10pm, C4)

What a novel way of clearing out the old and brining in the new for an ongoing drama series, now entering its fifth season. Just jump the narrative forward five years and see what happens. Things really have moved on in five years - Gaby is now a frumpy mother of two, Susan is no longer with Mike, and Bree is a hotshot businesswoman. And best of all, Edie is back living on Wisteria Lane, complete with a scary husband. Will this narrative trick from the production team make audiences happy to keep up with the Wisteria Lane lovelies? Time will tell…

The South Bank Show: Bond (Wednesday 10.40pm, ITV1)

Melvyn Bragg probes deep into the resuscitation of the world’s most famous film franchise in this nicely revealing South Bank Show. He interviews current Bond, Daniel Craig, the actor who silenced the many critics that had written him off before seeing a single frame of Casino Royale. He talks about his doubts on taking the role on, and the success the Bond series has once again found. Also interviewed is the original Bond, Sean Connery, who will no doubt be as candid as ever.

The Restaurant (Thursday 8pm, BBC2)

The remaining candidates get to cook in Raymond’s kitchen - no doubt with hilarious results, but probably just for the audience, not the contestants… Joyous, addictive television…

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Thursday 9pm, Virgin 1)

This show, only just granted a full season order by Fox in the States after some disappointing early ratings for this second run, is actually quite brilliant. It’s taught, action-packed and slightly outrageous in places, but remains terrifically watchable. There’s no point in talking much about storylines here as it will just make your head spin, but things get off to a furious start with a cracking chase and, erm… Shirley Manson off of Garbage, joining the cast.

After years of discontent, low scores and ever-louder grumblings from Terry Wogan, the BBC has decided to take a new direction with its entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.

Last night, in a video address to the nation, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber appealed for the nation’s populace to stand up and be counted:

So, we will be entering a song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (plus, supposedly, a lyricist), but that song will be performed by a soloist or group to be selected by some form of public audition process.

Is this really the right way to go to restore the UK’s place at the top of the Eurovision tree?

Have I Got News For You (Friday 9pm, BBC1)

The long-running satirical panel show returns for a new run with perennial team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton all present and correct. It never ceases to amaze that this show remains as fresh as ever after 18 years on air and always earns its keep in the schedules. Fern Britten is tonight’s guest host, and one has to admire her pluck for coming on here after the year she’s had. I may be watching some of this through my fingers.

The American Future: A History by Simon Schama (Friday 9pm, BBC2)

Brilliant stuff as Simon Schama trawls through the history of America to see just where the world’s superpower might find itself heading in the future. Tonight’s theme is war, an emotive subject in the current climate, but Schama typically finds more fruitful material off the beaten track.

Wire in the Blood (Friday 9pm, ITV1)

Closing part of a typically gruesome Wire in the Blood two-parter that sees Tony Hill moves closer to finding a particularly vicious serial killer. The police, as ever, dither around the background being useless. Such as it ever was in Bradfield.

Ugly Betty (Friday 9pm, Channel 4)

It’s the usual Ugly Betty fun as our winsome heroine dithers over which man she really wants - Henry or Gio. Obviously if she has an ounce of common sense, she’ll pick ever dependable (yet strangely sexy) Henry over sandwich peddler Gio, but the course of true love never runs smoothly, especially at Mode. There’s also fun to be had on the sports field with a baseball game, and the episode also features Lindsay Lohan and Naomi Campbell, showing that Betty can still attract some top celebrity turns.

Merlin (Saturday 5.55pm, BBC1)

Another week, another timeslot for Merlin, just to keep the audience on its toes. The laydeez of Camelot are all of a flutter this week as Lancelot, played by former Heroes star Santiago Cabrera, turns up at the castle looking for employment as a knight. He enlists the help of Merlin and Guinevere (I refuse to call her Gwen, okay?) to see if he can impress the miserable Uther and be knighted in the name of Camelot. Elsewhere a griffin is terrorising the populace, and Arthur is having a hard time bringing it down - no doubt Merlin will have to sort that out for the dumb prince too. Frothy fun for a Saturday night (or is that knight?)

Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Saturday 6.55pm, ITV1)

Saints be praised, Harry Hill is back for a mammoth run, and this swells my heart with pleasure at the belly laughs ahead. Hill has mined a rich seam of comedy to poke some gentle fun at the medium that is the preoccupation of a nation. All the usual silliness is there, and of course, Bear Grylls and Sally Morgan: Star Psychic, will no doubt be in the firing line. Brilliant, sublime stuff!

Casualty (Saturday 9pm, BBC1)

James Redmond takes his bow this evening as Abs Denham starts his last day at Holby A&E by waking up in a police cell covered in cuts and bruises. Just what has happened to the departing psychiatric nurse? Elsewhere, Adam is also waking up to some questions to start his day with - like who’s the babe he’s in bed with.

Ian Fleming: Where Bond Began (Sunday 6.10pm, BBC1)

Hanging very loosely on Joanna Lumley’s claim to Bond girl status - she has a blink-and-miss-it turn in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - the actress guides us effortlessly through the life of Bond creator Ian Fleming. Of course, there’s a sense of cash-in head of the imminent release of Quantum of Solace, but this is still good solid stuff as it charts Fleming’s rise from stockbroker to intelligence officer to best-selling novelist. Charlie Higson and Sebastian Faulkes, both following in Fleming’s footsteps as literary Bond writers, also contribute to proceedings.

Stephen Fry in America (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)

Stephen Fry? Travelling around America in his black cab? How fluffy, lovely and utterly watchable!

A Touch of Frost (Sunday 9pm, ITV1)

You have to love Frost, or, more accurately, David Jason’s finely honed performance as the shambling detective. The scripts themselves hardly matter, as in the hands of an old pro like Jason, a sow’s ear is easily transformed into a silk purse (not to say that this one is bad). Strictly Come Dancing contestant Cherie Lunghi guest stars as an old sparring partner of Jack’s in tonight’s investigation, which takes in dead clowns and disappearances from buses. Enjoyable as ever.

Blimey — all twelve remaining couples take to the floor in competition this week. That’s a lot of Sambas and American Smooths to sit through, not that it’ll be a chore…

As ever, we have a scoresheet for you - although due to the number of contestants this week, it runs to mammoth three pages:

Strictly Come Dancing scoresheet, week 5 [PDF] (right click and select ‘Save As…’ or equivalent to download it)

As an extra bonus, this week I’ve included a historical list of all the previous Samba and American Smooth scores from the previous five series of Strictly Come Dancing. There have been forty Sambas, dating all the way back to Series 1, week 5; the American Smooth was only introduced in Series 3, but there have already been twenty performances in competition.

A little more statistical trivia for you:

• There have been 431 competitive dances to date across the six series.

• Between them, husband and wife Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova have been awarded 2,540 points by the judges since they started on the show in Series 2…

• …However, Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone are more consistently high scoring, each amassing an average of just over 31 points per dance. When calculating averages, Flavia is actually the highest ranking female, but that really comes down to just last year’s scores with Matt Di Angelo. In her other two outings, this year with Phil Daniels and in 2006 with Jimmy Tarbuck, she only danced once, so there were few opportunities for her average score to be dragged downwards.

• Staying with average scores, Matthew Cutler is the highest-scoring professional, with an average of 32.75 marks per dance. Not surprisingly, Alesha Dixon’s average of 36.5 marks per dance puts her top of the leaderboard, ranking her just above Zoe Ball (34.92).

• Out of the four professionals who have competed in all six series (Anton, Erin, Brendan and Camilla), Camilla has amassed the most points (a total of 1,150), but Brendan is the best performing, with an average of 28.35 marks per dance.

In terms of how series 6 is faring, it’s a bit hard to judge precisely: after all, this is a far longer series than we’ve ever had before, and even though we’ve already said goodbye to four couples, the twelve remaining still far outnumber the eight couples who started each of the first two series.

From just looking at the figures so far, though, this year could end up being the highest scoring yet. It certainly looks like being one of the most fun…

There’s an embarrassment of riches this week, as we continue our preview of what to listen out for this week on radio.

Alan Carr’s Comedy Outings Radio 2, Saturday 1.00pm
Archive comedy clips have never sounded so odd. Alan Carr interweaves segments from the BBC archives with his own fictional escapades. In this first show, he goes on a hen night that somehow ends up involving Les Dawson, Ross Noble, Michael McIntyre, a lamppost and plenty of cling film.

From Fact to Fiction Radio 4, Saturday 7.00pm (repeated Sunday 5.40pm)
The series in which writers create a fictional 15-minute story based on factual events returns for a fifth series, starting with a programme written by Mark Burton.

The Archive Hour: How Radio Comedy Changed a Nation Radio 4, Saturday 8.00pm
Nicholas Parsons presents an exploration of how comedy on the wireless has not only changed in accordance with changing tastes, but has itself influenced the way British culture has changed. Contributors include Paul Merton, Barry Cryer, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Hancock’s Half Hour writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.

Elaine Paige on Sunday Radio 2, Sunday 1pm
Special guest this week is Tony-winning singer and actress Barbara Cook.

The Archers Radio 4, Sunday-Friday 7.00pm
A regular staple of the Radio 4 schedule, it’s sometimes easy to overlook this everyday tale of country folk. However, recently its depiction of Jack and Peggy’s health problems — he has Alzheimer’s, she recently suffered a stroke — has been sensitively, and oftimes heartbreakingly, portrayed both in writing and acting.

Classic Serial: Robinson Crusoe and his Farther Adventures Radio 4, Sunday 3.00pm (repeated Saturday 9.00pm)
Andy Barrett dramatises Daniel Defoe’s little-known sequel, which sent the eponymous islander off to deepest Siberia. As the adventurer recounts tales of his earlier travels, we end up with an interesting mix of both books.

Doctor Who: Dead London Radio 7, Sunday, 6.00pm
The BBC’s newly-renamed radio station starts a second series of original sci-fi dramas starring Paul McGann (briefly seen on screen in the 1996 TV Movie) as the time-travelling Doctor and Sheridan Smith as his companion, Lucie. Nowhere near as satisfying as the current TV run of the show, it’s still unmistakably Doctor Who. This week’s episode, Dead London is scripted by legendary 2000AD comic writer Pat Mills, and is followed at 6.50pm by the making-of documentary, Into the Vortex.

Drama on 3: Black Watch Radio 3, Sunday, 8.45pm
A long-awaited radio adaptation of the National Theatre of Scotland’s remarkable work, which retains the same cast who won the coveted Stage Award for Best Ensemble upon the play’s debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006. Writer Gregory Burke shows us a group of soldiers, both in a Fife bar and when stationed in Iraq. As reviewer Thom Dibdin said of the original production:

Led by Brian Ferguson as Cammy, with whom Burke first made contact, and going right through the ten-strong cast, this is superbly acted. Starting from their creation of lads down the pub, to their actions under fire, in the boredom of desert life and right on to their drill and the odd, perfectly choreographed surreal moment of unison movement, this is a company which does not step one millimetre out of line.

Woman’s Hour Drama: How Shall I Tell The Dog? Radio 4, Monday-Friday 10.45am (repeated 7.45pm)
Michael Palin plays the late humorist Miles Kington, who died of cancer in January. Given just months to live by his doctors, Miles decides to make his illness pay its way, by coming up with ideas for a book based on his ailment. In conversation with his agent (Anna Massey), his ideas get more and more bizarre — and some of which include digs at a comedy actor by the name of Michael Palin…

Stage to Screen: Oh! What a Lovely War Radio 4, Tuesday 1.30pm
A new series of the show looking at how theatre productions have transferred to other media, starting with this look at Oh! What a Lovely War, which started life at Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop before being brought to cinemas with Richard Attenborough’s 1969 directorial debut. As The Stage reported earlier this year, future episodes will look at musicals Gypsy and On The Town.

The Judy Garland Trail Radio 2, Friday 7.00pm
Michael Freedland presents this new biography of the legendary singer and actress. While there may not be too much new information to unearth, this promises to be memorable thanks to much of the rare archive material included, such as recordings of Garland singing with her sisters, as well as many of the classics for which she is renowned.

It’s been a turbulent year for faithful old Countdown, hasn’t it? First Des O’Connor announces he’s vacating the presenter’s chair after a scant two years in the role, and then Carol Vorderman quits after being given a peal day that would have taken her down to a paltry £100k (allegedly, of course).

And now the perennial gameshow, that has been broadcast on Channel 4 since its launch in 1982, is once more on the hunt for a new presenter and a brainbox beauty to take over Carol’s duties on letters and numbers. Lots of names are being bandied around to take over, but are we getting down to the nitty gritty with Channel 4/ITV Productions now apparently deep in negotiations with a couple of interesting names…

On TV Today, we’ve previously discussed the notion of the BBC’s so-called “out of London” policy. Auntie, it seems, has been discussing its long-term policy of moving over 50 per cent of programme production out of the capital by 2016. This takes in the proposed move of some core services wholesale to Manchester, as well as moving the production bases of long-running dramas to other locations, including Casualty and EastEnders.

Well, it looks like crunch time is upon us, as this evening director of BBC Vision, Jana Bennett, will address the Royal Television Society with a speech going under the emotive banner of “BBC Beyond the M25”. It is expected that the speech will contain full details of the BBCs findings and plans, including where Casualty, filmed in Bristol since 1986, will move to.

My favourite story of the day that seems to have filtered over from the Mipcom international TV conference in Cannes is that ITV is seeking to roll out increased brand merchandising from Coronation Street. It seems this could be an attempt to seek brand new revenue streams from within programming as advertising revenues dwindle and wither as time ticks on.

My first question is: why has it taken so long? Coronation Street is far and away the most recognisable brand that ITV has on its slate (The X Factor possibly excepted), and it does seem rife to strip mine for merchandising opportunities. While it seems no deals have yet been sealed, the word is that ITV execs have made presentations to the trade and had preliminary meetings with manufacturers to discuss the possibility of, amongst other things, Newton and Ridley beer. Indeed, according to the Guardian, ITV has already trademarked Newton & Ridley, the name of the fictional brewery in the soap that supplies the Rovers Return with alcohol.

• BBC confirms that the second series of Mistresses has started filming. (Remember, you heard confirmation of its return first on TV Today). The original principals all return, with cast members including Natasha Little, who will be forever known as the scheming Rachel from This Life, Oliver Milburn (Holby Blue), Steven Brand (Doctors and, for those with very long memories, Casualty) and Mark Umbers (recently on stage in Funny Girl at the Minerva, Chichester). More at the BBC press release.

• Classic ITV game show The Krypton Factor is returning to the small screen, thanks to sponsors Sage, who will be paying the programme costs in the broadcaster’s largest ad-funded programming deal to date. The series’ previous host, Gordon Burns, may not return to the chair, telling journalists last year that “they’d go for a handsome young person to do it, not me”. Please God, don’t let Vernon Kay anywhere near it…

• Homegrown CBBC animation Frankenstein’s Cat has been recommissioned. The show, which features the vocal talents of Joe Pasquale, is made by Altrincham-based Mackinnon & Saunders.

• Olympic medal-winning gymnast Louis Smith harbours desires to be a TV singer. He told The Guardian that “I was going on X Factor this year. I had an audition date in London and everything - but it was two days before I flew out to a competition and Paul [Hall, his coach] stopped me. So I’ll have to apply next year and see if I can go all the way.”

• Actress Jane Seymour wants to work in the UK again. Currently in Cannes at the Mipcom international TV conference to promote her new TV project Dear Prudence, she told MediaGuardian: “I would love to do English projects but I haven’t been offered anything.”

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I understand that the latest version of the software may help with some of the problems individuals have been experiencing with comments — especially if you are told “Text entered was wrong.”

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In the final week where only half the couples were competing, I was wondering if the celebrity ladies would be able to show the improvement that their male counterparts did last week, where only Andrew and Ola became the only couple to receive lower marks for their second dance.

What we got was a much more mixed affair, with four couples getting lower marks this week than they did in week 2. But we also got some purely magical moments.

Full reviews of the competitive dances, with video, after the jump.

Probably more appropriate for a Friday afternoon than a Monday morning, but Lottie at the LocateTV blog is challenging everyone to see how many TV show titles you can type out in 2 minutes.

It’s harder than it sounds, but I managed 36:

Try for yourself, and tell us in the comments how you got on:

• How many TV shows can you name?

The Sarah Jane Adventures (Monday 4.35pm, BBC1)

I love this show, and I love Sarah Jane Smith, a heroine for me in 1975, and now doing it all over again in 2008 - who’d have thought, eh? In the first of a two-part tale, The Day of the Clown, guest star Bradley Walsh is really rather excellent as sinister clown Odd Bob, who seems to be terrorising children at the local school. Among them is new girl Rani (and Sarah’s new neighbour), but her dad, strict headmaster of the school, won’t believe a word of it. Of course, it’s up to the journo across the road with the adoptive genius son and the supercomputer in the attic to save the day. Part two is on the CBBC channel straight after.

Wired (Monday 9pm, ITV1)

ITV has been scoring well in the Monday night, 9pm drama slot, and this is a strand the network should look to cultivate. While Wired isn’t as good as the excellent Place of Execution, it’s still a halfway decent thriller with a tasty cast. Laurence Fox is the bad lad who blackmails bank manager Louise (Jodie Whittaker) into entering an elaborate plot to scam loads of cash. Toby Stephens and Charlie Brooks join Fox and Whittaker in a drama that is a bit daft, but slick and entertaining. Job done.

Sunshine (Tuesday 9pm, BBC1)

Sunshine is a very frustrating drama to watch. There are moments when it threatens to be consumed by a sense of overarching pathos and a need to be gritty and northern yet always lovable. But within the on-going story of bad lad with a heart (and a huge gambling problem) Bing and his attempts to do right by his young family, there is a lot to like. Steve Coogan as Bing is the draw, displaying a talent for underplayed drama that is usually lost beneath his penchant for constant improvising. Here, however, he is magic. And when he’s acting alongside an old pro like Bernard Hill as Bing’s dad, you appreciate just how good he is.

Comedy Classics: Brass (Tuesday10.35pm, ITV1)

An early 80s comment on Thatcherite politics, Brass remains a high point in ITVs generally patchy arsenal of comedy greats. Timothy West starred as the greedy, wealthy industrialist pit-owner Bradley Hardacre, living it up while the populace of Utterley exist in abject poverty. Full of northern cliché (lots of flat caps and whippets), Brass was funny, a metaphor for modern living at the time - and possibly has a lot more to say about how we live now considering the current climate. A repeat of the first episode follows this talking heads look back at the making of the show, which was resurrected by Channel 4 for a third series in 1990 after a successful repeat run.

Silent Witness (Wednesday 9pm, BBC1)

A final two-part tale in this brief run for Silent Witness is a mish-mash of storytelling as a police raid leaves two suspected terrorists and a police officer dead. As our fearlessly rule-breaking (and always glam) pathologists dig in and around the blood and guts, things might not be all as they seem, considering the despatched police officer’s wife was having it away with one of his colleagues. Was he killed in the line of duty or in the line of love?

Heroes (Wednesday 9pm, BBC2)

You’d think now that Mohinder is getting some, he might actually cheer up a bit and stop wibbling on in that dull monotone he has a habit of falling into. But no… Oh well. This week it’s still the usual meandering storylines about far too many characters that make it hardly worth the effort to care about any of them. I wish Sylar would just slice the heads of every last one of them if I’m being honest.

Desperate Housewives (Wednesday 9pm, Channel 4)

If the US Writer’s Strike has left you somewhat confused about just where you are with some of your favourite Stateside dramas, you’re not the only one. Especially in the case of Desperate Housewives - tonight is the season finale. Ahead of the season premiere next week. Okay, with you… Take a deep breath and don’t worry about it, as this episode is as climactic as usual, with some secrets tumbling out of closets before the whole Wisteria Lane world goes insane and leaves you… Well, we can leave that for next week, can’t we?

Blue Peter’s Live 50th Birthday (Thursday 5.15pm, BBC1)

As I alluded to on last weekend’s Square Eyes round-up, Blue Peter may not be long for this world amidst the shrinking of children’s programming across the broadcasting spectrum and declining ratings. But that doesn’t mean the veteran kid’s show can’t light a few candles and get the bumps for this remarkable TV milestone. There may be some presenters left off the Queen’s invite list (I won’t be looking for John Leslie) to the celebratory garden party, but there should be some old favourite faces popping up during proceedings. And of course, there’ll be fun back in the studio with Peter Purves turning up to host a Blue Peter quiz, on a set that has remained largely unchained since 1958. Celebrate while we can - sadly I doubt we’ll be looking at a BP century…

Beautiful People (Thursday 9.30pm, BBC2)

Beautiful People is enjoyable enough to make a point of watching it, especially for Olivia Colman’s sublimely brilliant performance as Simon’s bonkers mum. But you might want to pay extra special attention to this episode for Brenda Fricker’s turn as Simon’s gran, who seems to be undergoing something of a personality change.

The American Future: A History, by Simon Schama (Friday 9pm, BBC2)

Simon Schama brings his richly textured tones and accessible (yet still highbrow) style to this eye opening curtain raiser to the forthcoming presidential elections in America. The historian casts his eye back over the country’s past to examine how that will impact on the future for whichever candidate gets to sit in the big chair come the beginning of next year. Brilliant stuff, as you’d expect.

Wire in the Blood (Friday 9pm, ITV1)

Another day, another serial killer in Bradfield. Switch on the Tony Hill signal; we need a maverick criminal psychologist right now! Every time I recommend Wire in the Blood for a Square Eyes salute, I feel like I’m talking about the same episode. A bit like CSI and Waking the Dead, every new case starts to merge into one, although that’s not to say these aren’t good. Robson Green is brilliant as the twitchy Tony, and Simone Lahbib (who I’m sure I saw in Penge Sainsbury’s the other day, but I could be wrong) has just the right amount of bewilderment to make the relationship between the two work. Expect some fairly graphic scenes, as always.

Merlin (Saturday 7.05pm, BBC1)

Once again, the ratings for this episode of Merlin will be interesting, as the BBC schedulers have decided to swap the adventures of the boy wizard with Strictly Come Dancing. Strictly now airs a full hour early, with Merlin going out in the later slot - and clashing with The X Factor 10 minutes into its run time. The crazy swapping about the schedules is mystifying and shows a distinct lack of respect for the audience (and programme). Still, it’s as enjoyable as ever, with Michelle Ryan back for a second round of evil doing as sorceress Nimueh, who this week poisons Merlin. Arthur must make a mercy dash into he forest to find an antidote…

The X Factor (Saturday 7.15pm, ITV1)

This is it! The 12 finalists have all been selected and the live shows kick off tonight. There are still weeks to go, but one by one, the acts will be whittled down until only a select few remain, fighting all the way for those public votes. But for now, cast your mind back to last year’s crop of acts and the double act of Same Difference. They have an album due any time now, and you can find lots of Same Difference fun at www.samedifferenceworld.com. Beware, it will probably make your eyes bleed.

Blue Peter at 50 (Saturday 8.40pm, BBC2)

The world’s longest-running children’s programme is rightly celebrated in this documentary to mark the legendary magazine show’s 50th birthday. The show is full or archival clips, outtakes and various presenting teams reunited for the occasion to talk about what it was really like working on the show. It’s likely the recent controversies surrounding the show will be brushed under the carpet for better or worse, but this is still likely to be an enjoyable trip down memory lane for children - of all ages. Shame it seems to come at a time when the future of Blue Peter remains in some doubt…

Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got the Pop the Factor… (Sunday 8pm, C4)

Peter Kay’s first new TV comedy work for four years has been heavily trailed by Channel 4, and who can blame them? I still think Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere was a brutal misfire for the popular (and undeniably brilliant) comic actor, but hopefully this will bring him back to comedy greatness. The explosion of reality talent shows might be an easy target for satire, but Kay, steeped in popular TV culture, should be able to get something from Britain’s Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice. Kay is Geraldine, a finalist on a talent show, hosted by Cat Deeley and judged by Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox. But is Geraldine keeping a deep, dark secret, and will “she” win out in the end? Find out in the results show at 10.15!

Stephen Fry in America (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)

An amiable, eclectic six-part journey through America in the company of Stephen Fry, who is planning to traverse every state in the Union in his London black cab. Fry is, as you would expect, an erudite tour guide, and in this opening part he is in New England, where he does various activities from lobster fishing to dealing blackjack. Enjoyable and informative - perfect for a Sunday evening.

A Touch of Frost (Sunday 9pm, ITV1)

David Jason returns for the first of three new investigations for one of TV’s most enduring detectives, ahead of him hanging up curmudgeonly copper’s battered hat for good. The case of a missing girl is reopened when her remains are found 20 years after she went missing. It’s not long before more bodies start cropping up and DI Frost must put his crumpled intellect into solving a case that might just be too old to crack. Great stuff.

Fringe (Sunday 9pm, Sky One)

I can’t tell if it’s genius or terrible, but Fringe is undeniably entertaining. Get rid of all the FBI gubbins that we’ve seen countless times before and make it all about the mad scientist (John Noble), and you’d have a great series.

Life as a walk-on or background artist is not particularly glamorous. As I experienced myself when I went on to the set of Midsomer Murders, there is a lot of hanging around - usually in the cold - with perhaps just a mug of tea and a biscuit to see you through until it’s time to take your place in the shot.

Even then, there’s no guarantee you will end up being on the TV (which is something I found out when watching the episode of Midsomer Murders I had spent all day filming). I am no expert, but the money does not seem to be that great either, and it isn’t helped by the fact many broadcasters will try their utmost to get away without paying extras at all - as The Stage itself reported on only recently.

No, life as an extra is not for everyone. But that said, there are some who dedicate their working lives to being in the background, and who - in some cases - can become recognised regular faces of some of the more long-running series…

It’s the final week with only half the couples in competition, as the ladies and their male professional partners take to the floor with either a quickstep or a rumba.

Jessie and Darren are the lowest-scoring couple still in the competition — will their quickstep do for them what the tango did for Don and Lilia last week? Will Cherie and James be able to retain their position at the top of the judges’ leaderboard in the face of stiff competition from Austin & Erin and Rachel & Vincent?

Download your week 4 Strictly Scoresheet and join in the fun!

You’ll notice a bigger and brighter download this week — hope you like the tweaked format. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to email them to tvtoday@thestage.co.uk.

Our radio sister to Square Eyes continues. Most BBC radio programmes are available online for 7 days after their first broadcast — click on the programme names below for more information.

Saturday Play: Conclave Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm

After last week’s adaptation of The Last Confession, Hugh Costello’s play continues Radio 4’s examination of the event surrounding the short papacy of John Paul I. Nicholas Le Provost plays Cardinal Benelli (the role played by David Suchet in last week’s play), joined by David Calder, Alison Reid and Andrew Hilton as Karol Wojtyla, who would later become known as John Paul II.

The Wire Radio 3, Saturday 8.45pm

Radio 3’s slot for new writing this week features a radio adaptation of Debbie Tucker Green’s Random, originally staged earlier this year at the Royal Court Theatre. Nadine Marshall reprises her multiple roles as four members of a family whose lives are shaken up during the course of one day. Unlike the stage play, Marshall is joined by other actors, including Petra Letang and Richie Campbell.

Classic Serial: The Experiences of an Irish RM Radio 4, Saturday 9pm (Part 1), Sunday 3pm (Part 2)

Human error was all that prevented me listing this last week. Sorry about that. Christopher Fitz-Simon adapts the stories by Somerville and Ross about an English major who is appointed a Resident Magistrate in 1890s Ireland, and soon finds himself amongst an array of interesting characters. Alex Jennings plays Major Yeates, a character popularised 25 years ago on television by Peter Bowles.

Desert Island Discs

This week’s castaway is comedian and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar, currently starring as King Arthur in Spamalot. NB: This programme won’t be available on Listen Again/iPlayer, althrough it will be repeated on Friday at 9am.

Elaine Paige on Sunday Radio 2, Sunday 1pm

Special guest this week is the legendary Burt Bacharach, who drops in to talk about his varied film, musical theatre and pop songwriting career.

The Duchess of Malfi Radio 3, Sunday 8pm

Webster’s classic Jacobean drama receives a new production, with Sophie Okonedo as the Duchess who chooses to marry her steward, Antonio (Rory Kinnear).

Fabulous Radio 4, Tuesday 11pm

Lucy Clarke’s sitcom about a woman strugglig to cope with the pressures of modern life returns for a second series. Daisy Haggard stars, with Katy Brand, Justin Edwards and Joanna Neary.

Afternoon Play: The Letter Radio 4, Wednesday 2.15pm

I have a love-hate relationship wit The Afternoon Play, which often come across as twee and stuffy. Perfect for Radio 4, less so for my own tastes. Here, however, the lead role is taken up by the inestimable Anne Reid, so things should perk up considerably.

Afternoon Play: Owls Radio 4, Friday 2.15pm

And the second AP recommendation this week. Co-created by the Natural History Unit, this promises a labyrinthine, multi-layered plot about a visit to a Scottish island, an old man reflecting on his life, and a tale of two children trying to escape an abusive situation. Sounds like fun…

Further to yesterday’s piece on the rebranding of the UKTV portfolio of channels, some numbers are in and it seems that star signings to lifestyle/drama channel Watch, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, have crashed and burned somewhat in the ratings game…

In the (unofficial, of course) overnight ratings, Richard and Judy’s New Position (I ask you, who came up with that one?) only managed to secure an average of 100,000 viewers across the 8pm hour, with another 43,000 popping in an hour later over on Watch+1. Erm… there’s not really a lot to say to that is there? Richard and Judy in not as popular as their employers think they are shocker!

Actually, that’s not fair - the husband and wife duo are still a polished, professional and quite watchable presenting team (although Richard still has his moments). I think the disappointing ratings are in part down to some fairly bogus scheduling on the part of Watch. Who really wants to sit down to a lifestyle magazine show in the company of a couple of veteran daytime TV stars at 8pm? Yes, even with guests like Samuel L Jackson and David Walliams.

Today sees the end of an era as UKTV Gold, launched in 1992, is rebranded and split into two channels, while UKTV Drama also get a lick of paint and is rebranded as Alibi, the channel for top notch crime drama repeats.

I’m quite sad about the end of UK Gold - as a TV daftie, I remember getting highly excited when UK Gold launched back in the day - one of the first major broadcasters of archival TV. It was a bit creaky and homespun, perhaps, but where else could I catch regular repeats of Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small and um, The Bill?

The channel has remained a mainstay of the non-terrestrial landscape for years, and its success, in part, led to the formation of the UKTV family of channels - UKTV Drama, History, Arena and Play, amongst others. Some are now defunct, others broke away from the BBC Worldwide/Virgin Media partnership - UK Living, now LivingTV (owned solely by Virgin) - but the family has endured.

With the series well under way, the third week saw the return of the male celebrities and gave us the first chance to see whether the competitors had taken on board any of the judges’ comments. To be fair, all of them had at least tried to, even if one or two seemed unable to get the message from their heads to the rest of their bodies.

After the jump, reviews of each competitive dance, plus the BBC’s official YouTube videos.

Place of Execution (Monday 9pm, ITV1)

This excellent, mature drama comes to an end as documentary journalist Catherine Heathcote (Juliet Stevenson) gets closer to the truth about what really happened to young Alison in 1963. As you’d expect from a drama based on a Val McDermid story, there are twists and turns galore before the final ten minutes, and the shocks keep coming right to the very end. ITV should be justifiably proud of putting out this superb piece that ticks all the right boxes - acting, directing, script - and let’s hope we get more of the same in the not too distant future.

Eli Stone (Monday 9pm, Sci-Fi)

An unusual US drama from Sci-Fi that stars Jonny Lee Miller as ruthless lawyer Eli Stone, who is suddenly forced to reconsider how he lives his life after a series of visions and hallucinations - including, um… George Michael - no, really. The visions, it seems, are brought about by an inoperable brain aneurysm, and Eli changes his approach to work and life… Erm… I’m not quite sure what to make of this - Shark meets Ally McBeal with not entirely satisfying results, but it’s early days. Can the format support the usual case of the week storylining without descending into schmaltz and silliness? Time will tell - and so will George…

Sunshine (Tuesday 9pm, BBC1)

Craig Cash and Phil Mealey script this bittersweet comedy drama about “Bing” Crosby, a lovable loser with a destructive streak of gambling addiction that keeps him never too far away from the bookie’s counter. It has that essential northern grit to it that you’d expect from the writers of Early Doors and The Royle Family, and Steve Coogan is great as Bing, giving the character a more paired down reality than grotesques like Alan Partridge and Tommy Saxondale. Cash and Mealey pop in as comedy bin men, but the real honours here go to the exceptional Bernard Hill as Bing’s dad. A highly promising start.

Jamie’s Ministry of Food (Tuesday 9pm, C4)

Oh, Jamie… Sorry, but Ministry of Food is really hard to swallow (if you’ll pardon the pun). I wish Mr O would stop seeing himself as some sort of social crusader who can get the country cooking and eating decent, nutritious food - it doesn’t work when you head off and trouser a load of dosh for being the face of Sainsbury’s. Come Christmas, you’ll be up there, persuading the very families you are trying to help, spend loads of money that they don’t have on unnecessary Xmas fare. It makes your puckish benefactor so much harder to swallow. That being said, there are some genuinely emotional moments to be had from this show, but they don’t come from Mr Oliver. Sorry Jamie, I do love you, but this is one step too far.

Heroes (Wednesday 9pm, BBC2)

Heroes definitely has a spring in its step if the first episodes were anything to go by, and things should carry on nicely here. Sylar, becoming ever more powerful, is turning into a wonderful villain who proves far more interesting than most of the so-called Heroes. There’s still too much serious posturing from the likes of Peter Petrelli and the snooze some Mohinder (just SHUT UP, okay?) but the darker edge to this third volume could reap rewards yet. The jury is still out, though…

Sanctuary (Wednesday 9pm, ITV4)

If Heroes isn’t quite your thing, but you’re perhaps more disposed to the long-running success of Stargate SG-1, then give Sanctuary a go. Amanda Tapping, veteran contributor to the Stargate franchise, stars (and produces) as Dr Helen Magnus, head of a team that investigates the hidden monsters that exist alongside humanity. Sanctuary is wildly derivative, but also has its own sense of style and fun, and gives Tapping some mercifully new material to play with. The show started as “webisodes” on the internet before being picked up by Sci-Fi in the States, and has some interesting use of CGI running alongside. Worth checking out.

Blackadder: The Whole Rotten Saga (Thursday 9pm, G.O.L.D.)

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Blackadder with this mammoth documentary that mixes clips with cast interviews, although Rowan Atkinson is notable by his absence. Oh well, it’s good to see some favourite scenes again, but perhaps one to dip in and out of if you’re in a channel hopping kind of mood.

Beautiful People (Thursday 9.30pm, BBC2)

I like Beautiful People, it has a really nice nostalgic sheen to it that, while not laugh out loud funny, is certainly watchable in a quirky way. Simon and best buddy Kylie are in raptures at the prospect of headlining the school’s production of Joseph, and hysteria ensues as they prepare to audition. The best thing about Beautiful People is the divine Olivia Colman, who shows her range here beyond being a foil for Mitchell and Webb.

Toby Young Night: A Maverick in London (Friday 8.45pm, Sky Arts)

As the film of his book,* How To Lose Friends and Alienate People*, hits cinema screens, Sky Arts throws open its doors to the errant journalist for an evening of programming presented by the man himself. Of particular interest is this documentary profiling the late Dan Crawford and his work with the King’s Head theatre in Islington.

The Tudors (Friday 9pm, BBC2)

I can barely bring myself to watch this closing episode of season two of the The Tudors. It’s too painful! My beloved Anne Boleyn is in the tower and awaiting the chop as Henry continues to cavort with Jane Seymour. Still, at least Anne has Anton Meyer off of *Holby City *to keep her company as she awaits her trip to the tower. It’s a very sad ending, and the series will certainly miss Natalie Dormer’s incredibly sexy yet sweet performance as Anne. Great stuff.

Little Britain USA (Friday 9.30pm, BBC1)

Mmm, not sure about this to be honest. My opinions on Little Britain have wavered from declaring Lucas and Walliams as comedy gods (around the time of series two), to charlatans who were happy taking huge pay checks to write barely constructed sketches that insulted the audience’s intelligence (around the time of the woeful - no, it really was - series three). But this might just be a different beast as the pair bring the Little Britain format to life across the pond in a series made for HBO. There are new characters - I particularly like Bing Gordyn, the bitter seventh astronaut to land on the moon - but old favourites like Vicky Pollard are still on hand to keep things familiar enough for the home crowds. The jury is out, but they might just get away with it…

John Adams (Saturday 5.30pm, More4)

Second part of the expansive mini-series charting the life of John Adams, the second president of the United States of America. Paul Giamatti stars as Adams in the multi-Emmy winning drama, with able support from Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson. Talky, but undeniably well made.

Merlin (Saturday 6pm, BBC1)

Perhaps an unchanged timeslot this week will help Merlin fare better - the ratings drop off was by no means disastrous between episodes one and two, but this fantasy family drama really has some hard graft to put in to keep an audience interested. One of the problems is that it’s all a bit hey nonny nonny - there have been comparisons with Harry Potter, but the Potter universe works in part because of the contrast between olde worlde magic and a contemporary backdrop. There are no flying cars in Merlin, just lots of fairly dense dialogue that rarely sparkles. Shame. This week, Michelle Ryan looks rather spiffy as evil sorceress Nimueh, who has released a plague into Camelot’s water system.

The X Factor (Saturday 7.45pm, ITV1)

Ooh, we are so close to the live shows now, and this week it’s the annual jolly abroad for the final hopefuls, awaiting news of their fate. Will they crash and burn, or will it be live television glory? Of course, if you’re in Louis’ group, it must be a bit galling to see your fellow contestants jetting off to glamorous locations in blazing sunshine when you get to go to rainy Ireland, but still, it must be the experience of a lifetime, even if you don’t go through. The only problem with entering the live heats of the show is that it makes you realise just how soon Christmas is. Eeeek!

Tess of the D’Urbervilles (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)

Gird your loins for the final episode of this sumptuous period drama - as most of you probably know, a happy ending is not on the cards for our titular heroine. Her husband has done a bunk to Brazil after discovering his new wife’s sad secret, her family are kicked out of their home, and then, just when it can’t get any worse, Alec D’Urberville is back and interested in Tess once more. Gemma Arterton has provided a wistful Tess for this new take on the story, and stardom is assured for this young actress. One thing’s for sure, Cranford this ain’t. There are no neat endings for anybody here, so get your hankies ready.

Fringe (Sunday 9pm, Sky One/Sky HD)

A curious drama launch that has just been picked up for a full series in the States, this JJ Abrams co-created series has a debt to The X Files with it dark edges of science and federal investigation themes. This feature length opener starts with all the passengers on a plane ending up dead, and there’s only one man who can apparently solve the riddle. Unfortunately, he’s a loony banged up in an institution. Fringe is darkly promising, with attractive leads (a welcome return to television for Dawson’s Creek survivor Joshua Jackson) and some sinister background storylines jostling for position. This could be the new Lost - just better.

The South Bank Show (Sunday 10pm, ITV1)

The title of this edition of the arts show - The One Ronnie - is somewhat bittersweet, as it serves as a reminder that Ronnie Barker is no longer with us, but also that the equally talented Ronnie Corbett is still out there and working. Melvyn Bragg probes the comedy performer for an insight into his life, covering early work, and of course that fateful meeting with Barker that would propel the pair to the status of national treasures. Lovely.

As the men take to the dance floor again, dancing either a tango or a jive, who will be the next couple out? After week 1, where Gary and Karen managed above allodds to avoid the dance-off, predicting the outcome will not be easy.

As usual, we’ve got a scoresheet for you:

Download this week’s Strictly Scoresheet — right-click the link and select “Save As…” or similar option, and then print out both pages.

You’ll notice a little change this week, with the addition of a summary of all the contestants’ scores so far, along with their average mark throughout the whole competition. as the weeks go on, we’ll see how this chart changes over time, and whether public perception of who gets put into the dance-off is a reflection of their overall performance…

We’re going to experiment a little for a few weeks, with a weekly companion to our twice-a-week Square Eyes TV previews as part of TV Today’s ongoing commitment to also covering the radio. Do let us know what you think, either in the comments or via tvtoday@thestage.co.uk.

We’ll be concentrating, as we do in our TV coverage, on drama and comedy, with occasional forays into documentary and music. A quick proviso: I haven’t yet heard any of these productions, so I’m going to have to go on equal parts of the reputation of those involved, and my own gut instincts…

The Saturday Play: The Last Confession Radio 4, Saturday, 2.30pm

David Suchet reprises his portrayal of Cardinal Giovani Benelli, in this adaptation of Roger Crane’s Vatican-set thriller. Benelli is a good man who, upon looking into the circumstances surrounding the 33-day reign and death of Pope John Paul I, which played at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket last year.

The Archive Hour: King of Comedy Radio 4, Saturday 8.00pm

Angus Deayton presents a tribute to the late Geoffrey Perkins, who tragically died in a road accident at the end of August. From Hitch-Hikers’ Guide to the Galaxy to Radio Active, I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue and The Fast Show, Perkins was at the heart of British comedy. In many ways, it’s a tragedy that there’s an only an hour to devote to such a remarkable career.

Elaine Paige on Sunday Radio 2, Sunday 1.00pm

La Paige’s guest star this week is Broadway and West End star Brent Barrett.

Drama on 3: Tulips in Winter Radio 3, Sunday 8.00pm

Timothy Spall, Ben Meyjes and Angela Pleasance star in Michelene Wandor’s play, which imagines a fantasy world where philosopher Baruch Spinoza (Meyjes) appears within Rembrandt’s famous painting, Night Watch and meets various other faces from history including Oliver Cromwell and the spy who gave his name to Downing Street. With Spall appearing as a larger-than-life Rembrandt, this could be an intriguing work.

The Penny Dreadfuls Present: More Brothers Faversham BBC7, Sunday 11.00pm

BBC7’s original commission, a spoof of Victorian melodramas, returns for a second series.

The Color Purple Radio 4, Monday-Friday 10.45am (repeated 7.45pm)

Apparently this is the first UK adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel, serialized in ten parts this week and next by Pat Cumper. Nadine Marshall plays Celie, who as a teenager is raped by the man she believes to be her father, but in time grows up to be a strong, contented woman. Nikki Amuka-Bird, Nina Sosanya and Eamonn Walker also star.

Ed Reardon’s Week Radio 4, Monday 11.30am

The misanthropic writer returns for a new series of the award-winning sitcom by Christopher Douglas (who also plays Reardon) and Andrew Nickolds. Unmissable.

Tina C Goes Down Under: the Aborogynal Monologues Radio 4, Wednesday 11.00pm

Chris Green’s outrageous comic Country and Western creation tours Australia, exploring the country’s obsession with country music. This Englishman’s impersonation of a Tennessee woman trying to do an Australian accent promises to make for unique listening.

As you should by now have read on The Stage’s news pages, BBC Radio is to host a major science fiction season with programmes running across Radio 3, Radio 4 and BBC7 early in 2009.

Judging by the response so far from the blogosphere, the season is one that fans of the genre are looking forward to, even if they’re not too keen on the months they’ll have to wait.

Unfortunately, when Stage broadcasting correspondent Matthew Hemley spoke to drama commissioner Jeremy Howe, there just wasn’t enough space in the news story for everything he told us…

Not so long very long ago, EastEnders went through a period of ignoring its past, of turning the other cheek to a rich and varied history of storylines and characters. Coronation Street, conversely, would often revisit old characters and, indeed old storylines, with returns for Ray Langton, and Emily receiving a visit from the man who killed her husband over two decades previously.

But now it seems the BBC soap has an open arm policy in welcoming back actors who left the soap behind to forge new careers (successful or otherwise). Today it has been announced that actor John Altman will return to Albert Square after an absence of seven years, to revisit the character that blazed a trail in the very early days of EastEnders - Nick Cotton.

I’m delighted by the news that Janice Hadlow has today been appointed as the new controller of BBC2, taking over from outgoing controller Roly Keating who is to take up a post as director of BBC archive content.

Hadlow leaves behind her current post as controller of BBC4, where she has a strong track record in programming. During her time with the channel she also secured awards for best non-terrestrial channel of the year at the Broadcast awards and the Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival in 2008.

BBC 4 is one of my favourite channels (which might sound a bizarre thing to say, but I do give these things some thought from time to time). Perhaps it’s an age thing as I hurtle towards my 40th birthday (okay, I’ve got three years to go, but that’s practically now, isn’t it?), but the type of programmes that BBC4 puts out seem to speak to me. I look at BBC3 and shows like Spooks: Code 9, and it makes my stomach churn. But is this because it’s a badly made load of all tosh, or is it because I’m just not part of BBC3’s supposedly hip yoof audience? I like to think that my critical faculties aren’t too bad and I can spot a turkey, even if it’s not aimed at my age group. Being Human, which aired a successful pilot on BBC3 was great. Conversely, I don’t need to be AA Gill to know that BBC3’s Phoo Action was rubbish.

We haven’t done one of these in a while — a quick look at the broadcasting-related news from The Stage’s main news section from the past week:

• Former TV talent show contestants Helena Blackman (How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?) and Rachel Tucker (I’d Do Anything) are among the nominations for this year’s Theatrical Management Association Theatre Awards.

• BBC4 head Janice Hadlow has been appointed controller of BBC2.

• BBC radio is to launch a major cross-station drama season based around the science fiction genre, which will see BBC 7 broadcast its biggest original series commission to date.

• ITV has unveiled plans to cut 1,000 jobs by February next year, as part of a package of measures designed to protect its investment in UK content.

• Shameless creator Paul Abbott is to take full control of his production company Tightrope Pictures after negotiating the outright purchase of it from co-founder Hilary Bevan Jones.

• Satellite television operator BSkyB has lost an appeal to keep hold of its 17.9% stake in ITV.

• Culture secretary Andy Burnham has criticised the television industry for broadcasting “tried and tested” programmes instead of taking risks and giving new talent a chance.

• Public funding of between £330 million and £420 million will be required by the broadcasting industry by 2012 if audiences want to enjoy the same content on television that they have today, Ofcom has warned.

• BBC Radio 4 has teamed up with disabled-led theatre company Graeae on an innovative new production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which will feature a deaf actor in the title role.

• And finally, Graham Norton is being lined up to make his West End theatre debut next year in La Cage aux Folles.