Tudors to carry on ruling on BBC2

A second series of the hit historical drama The Tudors will be made, the BBC has confirmed.

The show, which stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the young King Henry VIII, has attracted up to 3.2 million viewers, a huge amount considering it is broadcast on BBC2.

Among the big names already lined up for the second series is Peter O’Toole, who is set to play Pope Paul III, with Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam and Maria Doyle Kennedy to carry on in their roles as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Sir Thomas More and Catherine of Aragon respectively.

Michael Hirst, the show’s creator, said that viewers can expect more plot twists and turns as the young king carries on his scheming ways, both politically and romantically.

“At the end of the first series of The Tudors, we stood at the edge of the precipice; in the second series we jump right off it! There are old and new conflicts, both at court and outside it, where the rapid changes to social life bring turmoil and sometimes tragedy,” he said.

The new series will be screened next year, BBC bosses confirmed.

The Nature of Britain

Alan Titchmarsh is better known as a horticulturalist, tv presenter and an author. However, he also has a keen history in natural history as the landmark television series, The Nature of Britain, demonstrates. The programme looks at 8 different types of landscape in all, and looks at the flora and fauna associated with that landscape. This second programme of the series looked at Farmland Britain and the part that it plays it not only providing food, but shaping the landscape and providing natural habitats.

Farming first began in Britain nearly 5 thousand years ago, but farming methods have changed a lot since those times. Around three quarters of Britain is farmland resembling a patchwork quilt of fields separated by hedgerows, walls and fences. The fields turn different colours with the seasons and according to the crops that are grown - the natural beige of barley; bright yellow of oil seed rape; pale blue of linseed and glorious red of a poppy field.

During the programme we saw:

the wonder of tens of thousands of rooks swirling and flying in formation as they prepared for migration;
boxing hares in contention for a female in heat;
how cows’ manure is the home of many fungi that release their spores into the air and that flies and dung beatles thrive on the manure. The dung beatles are the preferred food of the horseshoe bat.
that spiders and ladybirds control the population of aphids living on wheat stalks;
the presence of a thirty-mile dry stone wall on an island in Scotland, that is used to protect the land from the sea, but where sheep live with the seals and prefer seaweed to grass.
that the edges of farmland are being used to grow wild flowers and house natural habitats.

In the last 15 minutes of the one hour programme, there was a local feature. In the West Midlands area, a farmer in Dunchurch had been encouraging the natural habitat since the 1960s and encouraged children to visit his ponds, woods and hedgerows to discover birds, bugs and fungi.

The BBC have teamed up with the Open University to encourage learning and involvement in projects to monitor the wildlife seen close by.

Hollyoaks Round Up

Tina plans a surprise party for Tony’s 30th Birthday. But it’s more of a shock for the birthday boy when his exes - Izzy, Julie and Tessie - arrive, and Tessie drops a bombshell: Tony has an eight-year-old son!

Tony and Harry get along well, but what will Jacqui make of it all? Tony gets to find out when she walks in on them just as Tony and Tessie are making their farewell hugs.

Speaking of motherhood, Steph is anxious to prove she has maternal abilities and agrees to baby-sit Tom and Charlie and collect Newt from school, but is her child minding having the right effect on her own relationship?

Nancy and Sarah think Summer could be a laugh to hang around with, especially when she asks about a local guy she is rather keen on, but they are left wondering what’s up when Summer receives a visitor: her boyfriend James.

He is to leave for Afghanistan. Summer wants him to stay but if her career takes off, would she really have enough time for him?

O.B. is overjoyed to discover Max has hired Summer to work in MOBs but makes clear to Calvin and Danny that she’s out of bounds with a small white lie.

Rhys and Beth both receive a letter from the solicitor about Noel’s will. Unable to concentrate, Rhys takes Gilly to the SU Bar, only to find that there is no escape from the object of both of their affections: Beth.

Gilly is gutted to find Beth is off limits when he asks Rhys if he can take her out. When Calvin makes a move on Beth, Rhys lashes out but Beth puts Rhys in his place.

It’s Tina’s first day as a careers assistant and she’s eager to get started. Tina is charmed when her boss, Pete Webster - the head teacher’s son - takes her under his wing.

Coronation Street Round Up

Gail has organised a pre-wedding celebratory meal for both families, but David has obviously been missed off the guest list and feels lonely as he listens to the festivities inside the Platts. Shooting cans in the Morton’s garden, he tells Darryl that Gail tried to abort him and he doesn’t think she’ll be happy until he’s dead.

Depressed and lonely, David lets himself into the house and writes a letter. Later, Sarah and Maria are horrified to discover that David has left a suicide note. Sarah convinces herself that it’s another plea for attention, however, and tears the note up.

As the big day dawns, however, Gail notices David’s car has gone and calls the police. David, meanwhile, is watching the fuss from the rooftops, but when he sees the family continue with the wedding he cracks, leaving one last message on Gail’s telephone before driving his car into the canal…

Elsewhere, Fiz is getting increasingly annoyed that she and John never seem to be able to spend any time together alone but she is delighted when John makes his excuses and leaves when Rosie starts to flirt with him.

Liz hits the big 5-0, but is disappointed with what she thinks is Vernon’s surprise party for her - until Vernon produces his real surprise - a trip to Paris.

Paul gives Leanne £10,000 to help with the restaurant. He also gives her a kiss, and Leanne doesn’t resist.

Emmerdale Round Up

Suspecting Nicola of having an affair with David, Jasmine follows her but learns more than she expected. Nicola’s so-called dead husband Donald De Souza is in fact alive, and Nicola is determined to keep him that way as, if he dies, all his money will go to his son.

Jasmine tells David, who confronts Nicola, but she reminds him that they both lose out if her stepson inherits the business.

David agrees to help Nicola track down her husband’s son Miles when she promises him a cut of her inheritance, but Jasmine is determined to track down Miles first and stop Nicola and David’s plan in its tracks.

Meanwhile, Marlon’s concerns grow as Donna seems to be getting more involved in her job than in their relationship, and when Donna is injured at work he blames Ross for not protecting her.

Viv takes delivery of her newly-printed books, and arranges a book launch party, but few people turn up, leaving flop headlines at McNally’s fingertips. With sales running low Bob bribes some pensioners to buy copies but will Viv find out?

At the B&B, Jamie’s plans to impress Terry and Louise are thwarted when he accidentally books in a stag party and he is left wondering whether the age gap between him and Louise is just too big. Is she out of his league?

Rosemary has disappeared, and Paddy tries to convince Grayson that they should report her as a missing person, but Grayson just tells him to stay out of his family’s business.

Chas decides that she and Paddy should investigate Rosemary’s disappearance themselves and discover that none of her things have been packed so they go to the police, who question Grayson as to why he hasn’t reported his mother’s disappearance.

Neighbours Round Up

Just when you thought Carmella and Ringo’s relationship couldn’t get any more complicated, Carmella has a dizzy spell and is taken to hospital, where she learns she is pregnant. Meanwhile, Ringo, crushed by her public rejection, has decided to leave Erinsborough, and Frazer decides he will go home too. Rachel lashes out at Carmella, but finally reveals her heartache – she wanted Ringo to love her the way he loved Carmella.

When Ringo hears he may be a dad, however, he goes on a destructive rampage. This odd reaction is explained when he tells Frazer he can’t be the father as he couldn’t make love to Carmella.

It turns out Oliver is the dad, but he is still bound up in relationship troubles of his own with Elle, and until she knows the baby is safe, Carmella doesn’t want to tell Oliver.Meanwhile, Elle investigates who really is Oliver’s dad - not believing Rebecca’s claims that it’s Paul. The trail leads to a charming school principal, Richard Aaronow, but is he the deranged psychopath Rebecca told Oliver about…?

Steve is suspicious that Karl is selling him dodgy drugs and has the drugs tested, confirming his suspicions. Have they stumbled onto a major scam at Vivex?

Pepper and Adam plan a marriage of convenience - until both realise they just can’t do it. Facing the reality of their looming separation they resolve to make the most of the time they have left. But then Adam is thrown a lifeline - if he can overcome his past demons. Rosie defends Toadie against his drink-driving charge and does a great job, but guilt-ridden Toadie falls on his sword and cops a license suspension and fine.

Saddened by Stonefish’s news of the demise of his marriage, Steph and Toadie decide to cheer him up, but the plan backfires when he turns up late for work the next day. Zeke and Bridget bond over their shared passion for football, but when Bridget turns up for a training session with Zeke’s footy team, he discovers his sexist mates don’t want a girl to play.

And, speaking of football, Ned becomes Mickey’s football coach after seeing the team’s bullying at the hands of their current coach. But a crowded team session at Paul’s house makes Ned realise he needs to find a permanent home for him and Mickey.

EastEnders Round Up

It’s the night of the stag and hen dos, but trouble brews when the hen do relocates to the Vic – where the stag do is taking place. Sean overhears Max and Stacey talking and finally works out what has been going on. Will Bradley and Stacey’s big day go as planned?

Meanwhile, Roxy talks to Jack about his feelings for Ronnie, and Ronnie is desperate to stop Roxy leaving the Square, fearing that if she returns to Ibiza, she won’t come back. Ronnie will do anything to stop this, and goes head to head with Jack in a game of poker, and large sums of cash are at stake.

The game begins and Ronnie wins the opening round, but Jack feels as though she has played him for a fool.

Elsewhere, Jase is still mixing with his old friends. He chooses Jay over them, but worries when he can’t find Jay and starts receiving threatening texts from an old friend.

Louis to quit X Factor next year

Louis Walsh has revealed that next year’s X Factor will be his last as he intends to quit the world of reality show judging and concentrate on his day job.

The Irish band manager was not even supposed to be in the current series of the show, having been sacked during the pre-production stages, though he was subsequently brought back during the open auditions.

Walsh stated that he intends to spend his time looking after the careers of his own stars, including the boyband Westlife and former X Factor winner Shane Ward.

“I will do one more series,” he stated.

“I have really enjoyed doing it but I’m not a TV star, I’m a band manager. ‘The X Factor’ takes over your life. By the end of the final show I am exhausted, and then I have to work with my acts.”

He went on to add that he didn’t need the exposure that television brings and suggested that fellow judge Simon Cowell does.

“I’m happiest when working with my acts,” he said.

Spooks

The new series of Spooks started tonight and is now in its sixth series. The drama series is not about ghosts, but the slang term for spies and is centred upon MI5 in London. The programme started in 2002 and starred Keely Hawes and Matthew Macfadyen. It has had several changes of cast but now stars Peter Firth as Harry Pearce (the head of the team), Hermione Morris as Ros, Rupert Penry-Jones as Adam and Raza Jaffrey as Zaf. Robert Glenister put in an appearance as the Home Secretary in tonight’s episode.

The programme started at an underground military laboratory in Iran were scientists were developing a serum with the ability to wipe out entire cities. Unfortunately a test tube broke and the contents released with the laboratory technicians being infected.

Back in London, there are discussions about a peace process with Iran. An informer suggest that Mehan Asnik is planning an attack on London. The Home Secretary is concerned that the peace process with Iran is in jeopardy and asks Harry Pearce to “deal with” Asnik, but that any assassination attempt is made to look that it is a result of internal troubles within Iran, rather than having British involvement.

Iranian intelligence suggests that Asnik is travelling to London and taking a train from Tehran. A bomb is planted on the train but the Spooks hear of Asnik’s intention to switch trains and that there will be unnecessary lives lost when the bomb goes off. Asnik is told to switch trains (when the time is right) but leaves his briefcase on the train minutes before the bomb explodes. The briefcase was blown wide open and carries vials of the deadly serum .

Asnik is caught and admits to being a double agent who is wanting to defect but is receiving instructions from someone named as “Copenhagen”. MI5 learn about a virus developed by the Americans but thought to be completely destroyed. It is known as Strain E34 and incubates in 18 hours, after which people become infected and start to cough up blood. The purpose of the strain is to kill people and it effects anyone who comes into contact with the virus. The strain has been cultured and modified. The Spooks realise that they have been given false intelligence and that Asnik’s intention was not to bring a bomb to London, but that the virus was a lethal bio hazard.

In Tehran, Adam and Zaf try to get Asnik to a safe house and realise he is infectious. Their car fails forcing them to make their journey on foot through the woods, where Zaf is shot and he and Asnik are kidnapped. A deal with the kidnappers goes horribly wrong with Zaf still be held by them and Asnik roaming the streets of London carrying the highly infectious virus.

Quantum Leap

Quantum Leap is the story of eminent physicist Dr.Samuel Beckett (played by Scott Bakula now known as Admiral Archer in Star Trek: Enterprise) who has been working on a time travel experiment. The initial programme was set in 1995 where Sam worked with Gooshie on Project Quantum Leap. Gooshie is in control of the imaging chamber. Unfortunately, the budget for the experiment is about to be cut and Sam steps into the accelerator chamber, but the experiment is not yet ready.

Sam is transported back in time and has no memory of his own life. His friend, Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral who has been assigned as an observer for the project. He is the only contact that Sam has with his real life, and appears to him in the form of a hologram. Adults can generally not see Al and it appears as though Sam is sometimes talking to himself in an animated fashion.

Sam normally leaps into a person who has been alive in his own life time. Although he has his own personality and morality, He is the visual image of the person that he has leapt into and often takes on their skills and abilities. Al, with computer Ziggy attempts to work out the date and time of the leap, the person that Sam has leapt into and details of their life. Sam, Al and Ziggy try to find out the purpose for the leap. Once history has changed or the mission is complete, Sam then leaps into the next time and person.

As Sam tries to mirror the person that he has leapt into, he often has to do things that he is not comfortable with such as playing the piano to concert standard, a pregnant girl and a guy with learning difficulties. Fortunately Sam has a massive intellect and uses that in his leaps. He is also a keen sportsman. More often than not, Sam portrays a boyfriend or husband of a beautiful woman and is egged on to have relationships by Al (who is married many times over and often speaks of his wives). In his real life, Sam is married but fortunately does not remember this (as it would stop him from carrying out his “missions”). Sam has leapt back into his own life on more than one occasion and tried to stop his older brother from fighting in the Vietnam war (where he was killed). He has also come across many famous people during his leaps and met Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy.

In all there were 95 episodes of Quantum Leap and many ended with the catchphrase of “Oh Boy” as Sam leaps into a person. The programme works because of the good relationship and humour between Sam and Al, the historical references and guessing who Sam will leap into next and what his mission in. It is still extremely popular and has been repeated several times, with conventions still taking place.

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