Emmerdale Round Up

Marlon’s suspicions spur Donna on with her police interview, but will she be forced to choose between career and kin?

Viv is depressed by the failure of her book launch but Freddie could save the day - if she gives him a chance.

Jamie is forced to cover his tracks when Louise spots Amelia’s business card amongst his belongings, but the mask slips when Louise sees the pair together. Is Louise really ready to trade in her toy boy?

With Andy’s future hanging in the balance, is Jack’s family falling apart? He is furious when Victoria goes missing on the day of her court appearance but calms when she reveals she’s been at Sarah’s grave. What he doesn’t know is that she has been receiving hate-filled text messages, and they don’t help her composure in court.

Katie’s offer to act as surrogate mum for Perdy and Gray seems to be causing all sorts of problems. Matthew tries to convince her that she’s making a mistake, and offers to double her fee not to go through with it. With Gray becoming irritable, Katie doesn’t know which way to turn.

Meanwhile Paul is so distracted by the news that he fails to register Jonny’s suggestion of arranging to have a civil partnership in January. But the plan could stumble before then when Emily tells the Bishop, who has a word with Ashley.

Poor Ashley also gets a ticking off from Hillary for his frolics with Laurel, and is even more put out when Viv fills her in on Ashley’s past indiscretions with other villagers. Hillary may have other frolics to worry about, however, as Lily lures Doug out for a drink to discuss her blown fuse…

Neighbours Round Up

Realising Richard won’t rest until he reconnects with his former wife and estranged son, Elle tells Oliver and Rebecca what she’s done. Oliver is angry, but when he finds his frightened mother in the process of framing his father for a crime he didn’t commit, he begins to wonder if Elle was right to doubt his mother.

Meanwhile, Declan lashes out at Rebecca for keeping him in the dark. Rebecca finds an ally in the smitten Paul, however, who promises to protect her and Declan from Richard.

Driven to seek out his father, Oliver is confused by Richard and Rebecca’s conflicting stories and chooses to pursue a relationship with Richard, much to Rebecca’s distress. Rebecca confronts Richard, warning him that she will not give up her children to his influence without a fight.

And speaking of children… Carmella’s determined to continue her pregnancy and hints she still loves Oliver, making her mum determined to re-unite the couple. When Carmella breaks the news of the baby to Oliver, he vows to support Carmella, and breaks the news to Elle - he’s going to be a father - but this is one blow to many for exhausted Elle.

Adam tells Pepper about the death of his police partner back in the UK and she suggests he needs counselling before he joins the Australian police, but Adam firmly disagrees. At the police station, Adam proves his worth by saving his interviewer from a nasty criminal, but he then has to undergo a psych assessment that agrees with Pepper.

Karl’s investigation into Vivex Pharma’s manufacturing methods is sidetracked by an unexpected promotion, which brings with it a gorgeous and very flirtatious assistant.

Elsewhere, Stonie and Toadie seem to be running low on brotherly love, which has a knock-on effect on Rosie when she is offered a partnership at the law firm.

Ringo decides to stay in Ramsay Street and make up with Carmella, Ned and Janae are desperate for a romantic night alone, Lou returns from Russia with a money-spinning idea, and Bridget finally gets a glimpse of the mysterious Parker son!

EastEnders Round Up

Jane returns home from hospital, recovering from her gunshot wound, but will her relationship with Ian survive the trauma?

Pat visits Steven at the clinic and later tries to persuade Ian to talk to Steven, while Jane confides in Tanya about recent events.

Sean goes to see his mum and takes some drastic measures after Charlie urges him to be there for her more.

Ronnie, meanwhile, is surprised with Roxy’s new purchases, and is annoyed when she finds out that she has been gazumped in her efforts to buy the club - particularly when she finds out who the new owner is.

Elsewhere, Jase is annoyed when he finds out that Jay has been out with one of his old mates, and Billy receives some unwelcome news.

Frasier

Multi-award winning Frasier is a spin-off series of the popular comedy Cheers, which was based at a bar in Boston.Dr Frasier Crane was a regular visitor to the bar and was introduced to us through his girlfriend at the time Diane (who was later Sam’s girlfriend).

Frasier is set in Seattle and focusses on the psychiatrist’s work on the radio station KACL (with producer Ros). Frasier lives with his father Marty in a swanky apartment and Marty’s “physical therapist”, Daphne. Frasier’s brother Niles makes an appearance as a fellow psychiatrist who is in love with Daphne. There is plenty of sibling rivalry between the brothers and it is obvious that they took after their mother, rather than more down-to-earth ex-cop father.

The programme started with Frasier in his apartment on a stormy night. He us panicking and calls Niles over fearing that he has broken the law. He recounts a story but is constantly interrupted by Niles who tries to guess the outcome.

Frasier goes over his day and fears that his advice to callers to his radio programme is becoming predictable as producer Ros is able to take over when he has a coughing fit (”you are a kleptomaniac because there is something missing in your life, you should identify what that is and seek counselling!”). He then met the person who had been using his reserved parking space and was turned down for a date with her.

Frasier goes on to change an elderly resident’s lightbulb and steals an item from her. Niles provides a diagnosis to his brother and says that Frasier is missing excitement in his life (his brother and father have recently married their partners and he feels lonely). Frasier is extremely guilty and resolves to return the item to his neighbour (he has a key), but he and Niles are disturbed by a surprise party. The neighbour, Opal is celebrating her birthday and about to have her picture taken with her bronze medal from the 1936 Olympics (the object that Frasier stole).

Frasier tries to divert the audience’s attention by telling them a not very good story whilst Niles tries to place the medal on a high bookshelf. One of the party spots Niles up the ladder to the bookcase and he feigns the fear of a spider sent him up the ladder.

This was not a classic episode of the comedy but Frasier works because of the mix of characters and slapstick and play on words (of a high-brow nature).

Dannii linked with Home and Away return

X-Factor judge Dannii Minogue is rumoured to be looking for a break in her hectic schedule to make a return to the Australian soap Home and Away, the show that put her on the road to fame and fortune.

The show celebrates its 20th anniversary next year and Dannii is one of a host of big names who have been linked with a return to Summer Bay, with Kylie’s little sister expected to resume her role as the town’s former teenage tearaway Emma Jackson for the occasion.

According to a source close to the star, the reality show judge is keen to help out at the celebrations as she recognizes the significance Home and Away has had on her booming career.

The source told Inside Soap magazine: “Even though she is very busy with work at the moment, she is planning on setting aside some time to do a couple of episodes of the show. She’ll be in Australia anyway, judging on ‘Australia’s Got Talent’, so it won’t be too hard for her to pop along to the set.”

It remains to be seen, however, if Sharon Osborne will still be on the X-Factor panel once she returns from her trip Down Under, after she sensationally walked out of the last episode.

Hell’s Kitchen USA

If you wondered why Gordon Ramsay no longer presented the UK edition of Hell’s Kitchen (being replaced laterly by Marco Pierre White), then this programme helps to explain why. Hell’s Kitchen USA (set in California) is now in its third series and the chef is Gordon Ramsay.

The format is fairly similar to the UK version in that there are two teams - the blue and red kitchens, but the programme seems to be on a much larger scale, with winning teams receiving extra treats such as spending the afternoon in a health spa! There is earie and dramatic music throughout and no friendly witticisms from the narrator. The contestants also seem to be more moody and bitchy than those in the UK and nominate each other.

One of the contestants - Jen who is the pastry chef has only just revealed that she has worked in a number of restaurants (when the other contestants thought that she was a novice).

Gordon Ramsay is known a little unnervingly as “Chef Ramsay” and in tonight’s programme he showed the contestants how to kill a live lobster (by placing a knife through their head). The challenge was for each member of the team (3 in each team) to create a dish containing the lobster and the teams were set against each other. The dishes cooked ranged from a lobster risotto, salad, buttermilk fried lobster tail to lobster bisque. The red team won the challenge and won a photoshoot for In Touch magazine (complete with having hair done and makeup). The losing team had to look in every waste bin and sort out items for recycling (which did not go down well and much swearing followed and not from Gordon Ramsay!). Later the two teams did their preparation for the restaurant and served at the pass and it was only at this stage that we saw the Gordon Ramsay that we know and love (he exploded with rage). The kitchens managed to ruin monkfish and run out of potatoes and food was either over-cooked or under-cooked. He ordered the restaurant to be closed down.

Unlike, the UK version of the programme, the contestants did not receive much tuition or training from either their Chef or Sous Chefs (there did not seem to be any Sous Chefs around), as some of them were already working in the catering industry. The programme also seemed to be a lot more competitive and did not have enough focus on the skills of the contestants. Hell’s Kitchen has been tailored for a US audience but unfortunately lost something in translation.

Torn Sharon storms out of X-Factor

X-Factor judge Sharon Osbourne dramatically walked out of the hit show over the weekend as she refused to choose between two of her three remaining acts.

In the latest of the live shows, Sharon was required to send one of Kimberley Southwick or Alisha Bennett home after the pair put in disappointing performances in the under-25s category.

On live national television, host Dermot O’Leary was forced to improvise and keep viewers up to date with developments.

“Sharon can’t choose between her acts. The final vote will be between three judges, as Sharon has decided to leave [for] the night,” he said.

Though fellow female panelist Dannii Minogue also hesitated over her decision, her eventual support for Alisha was futile as Simon and Louis voted to give Kimberley another chance.

A spokeswoman for the show told the BBC: “Sharon was obviously very upset that two of her acts were in the bottom two last night.”

Commenting on the future implications of the sensational walk-out, she added: “We’re waiting to hear but hopefully she’ll be back with us next week.”

Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)

Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk are a pair of private detectives, trouble is that Marty is dead. A classic 1960’s comedy drama pairs Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope as the eponymous heroes. Jeff runs the agency on his own but relies upon the ghost of Marty to get him through all of his investigations. Marty shows up dressed in a white suit and follows supsects around to give Jeff help. He can also manage to have an effect on some physical objects but he must concentrate extremely hard. Marty appears and disappears in an instant, blinking as he does so. A great source of conflict bewteen the two is Marty’s wife Jeannie, played by Annette Andre, as Marty suspects feelings between Jeff and her.

Tonight’s episode of Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) sees Jeff arrested for the robbery of money due for incineration by the Bank of England. Jeff had learned about it from a character called O’Malley, who had devised the plan but failed to implement it. Somebody does implement it and as Jeff is the only other person that knows of it he is implicated in the crime. Jeff assumes that O’Malley has done the job and O’Malley assumes Jeff has. Things get worse for Jeff when £20,000 is found under the floorboards in the agency office. As the year is 1968 this is a significant amount of money and so Jeff is charged.

O’Malley is a smooth, rich Irish charmer whose accent varies from broad leprachaun to Sloane-ranger within a single sentence. Aso in the frame is Jeff’s lawyer, Elizabeth, who has the improbably unmoving but very big hair. She is sussing out O’Malley in the form of a restaurant date at his own restaurant. He disappears off to find a missing singer who lives above his club, who is packing and ready to do a runner with half a million pounds worth of used fivers. As he threatens to take her to the police her accomplice and senior partner turns up and she has a gun. O’Malley is eventually clattered around the head with a chair, whilst the pair of women escape. He follows with Elizabeth and the spiritous Marty in Eliabeth’s very small and very full Triumph sports car.

The two women manage to hop into a light aircraft and take off whilst the GT6 is negotiating a corner. Marty hitches a lift and manages to affect the compass on the plane getting them to land in Surrey, rather than France, where the police are waiting. Jeff should thus be released but his lawyer, Elizabeth, is otherwise engaged with O’Malley.

Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) is a fabulous old series where the terrible special effects are overcome by neat stories and a great buddy combination. Kenneth Cope was wonderful as the departed but still quirky Marty but Mike Pratt nicely plays Jeff down as a great counter-point. The re-working by Reeves and Mortimer in 2000 was a nice idea but the original series still stands up as classic British television.

Webster women in Corrie love triangle shocker

Coronation Street’s teenage tearaway Rosie Webster is to spice things up in Wetherfield as she turns up the heat on her affair with her drama teacher John Stape.

However, just as viewers thought that things couldn’t get any more dramatic, John is set to help out Rosie’s mum, Sally, for her A-level in English, with a sensational love triangle to follow.

Commenting on her storyline, actress Helen Flanagan, who plays the 17-year old, revealed: “She’s having this affair with John at the moment, so we’re doing a lot of kissing scenes. But I’ve also had to seduce him and be quite sexy, which is a bit different for me.”

In an added twist, it has been revealed that John, played by soap newcomer Graeme Hawley, will have no idea that Sally and Rosie are related until it’s too late.

“It’s all going to kick off in the Webster house!” an insider on the show told femalefirst.

“John’s got no idea what he is letting himself in for by getting involved with both mother and daughter.”

The news comes as rumours circulate that actor Bruno Langley, who plays Todd Grimshaw, is set to return to the Street for good after his recent reappearance.

Dr. Who

When Russell T. Davies announced that he was going to bring back Dr. Who, fans were concerned - who would be the Doctor? Would it work? Would the music be the same? Would we still have the tardis? Would he bring back the Daleks?

There was nothing to fear though as Davies managed to keep the excitement, fear and spirit of the earlier Doctor Who series, and brought it bang up to date. The music is still as eerie and puts fear into you and the aliens are more believable than in the 1970s and 1980s.

Christopher Eccleston stars as the 9th Doctor in this episode and manages to inject the right amount of humour and eccentricity, touched with mania and loneliness - all topped off by a Northern accent (as many planets have a North!).

In this episode the Doctor and Rose have landed in Cardiff, with Captain Jack Harkness (of spin-off series “Torchwood”). They have come across a rift in energy and an alien who is the last survivor of her family. Margaret had adopted the skin of of a human being but manages to unzip her head to become a large lizard-like alien. Margaret is the Mayor of Cardiff and there are plans to create a nuclear power station in Cardiff.

Margaret is intent on killing a female reporter but does not go ahead with this as she hears that the reporter is pregnant and about to be married. This provokes memories of her family. Margaret is caught by the Doctor who intends to return her to her home planet (where she is facing a public execution). She asks for one last meal and has this in the centre of Cardiff handcuffed to the Doctor. Meanwhile, Rose has met up with boyfriend Mickey and finds out that he has another girlfriend, as he is fed up of being second best and at Rose’s beck and call.

Rather than meet her certain death, Margaret is exposed to the very bright light - the heart of the tardis and regresses to become an egg wiith a chance of a new life, and the tardis sets off for its next adventure .

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