Children in Need already setting records
Record amounts of money are already being raised as this year’s Children in Need activities get underway, it has been revealed.
A range of celebrities have agreed to get involved in the name of a good cause and businessman Martin Ainscough has already agreed to pay £250,000 to have singers Katie Melua and Aled Jones perform at an event to be staged by the Prince’s Trust. The figure represents a record bid for Children in Need and Mr Ainscough, who made his money through a successful crane-hire business, is hoping the Melua and Jones will help raise a further £250,000 when they perform in Manchester.
It was on Terry Wogan’s BBC Radio Two Breakfast Show that the unprecedented bid was made and the veteran broadcaster is quoted as saying: “It was the most amazing, the most wonderful day I’ve ever had on radio.” Children in Need’s official appeal night will be tomorrow (November 15th) and the events, which will include performances from the Spice Girls, Sugababes and Kylie Minogue, are to be broadcast on the BBC.
Hollyoaks Round Up
When Mercedes’s pregnancy test is discovered, she admits she doesn’t know who the father is. Jacqui thinks that Mercedes’s pregnancy is the answer to her and Tony’s baby blues, but Tony is not so sure. Neither, it seems, is Mercedes - is she even going to have the baby?
Tina doesn’t tell Dom about Pete, because she’s worried that it will ruin their relationship, but confides in Jacqui. Later, Tina offers to have a surrogate baby for Jacqui, but she hasn’t asked Dom what he thinks, and he’s not pleased.
Rhys tries to help Gilly get together with Beth, but it’s obvious she’s only interested in Rhys.
Zoe dumps Darren, believing that he is more interested in gambling than her.
Jake is jealous of Nancy and Russ’s closeness as they prepare for her first day at work, especially when she tells him she’s agreed to go for a drink with Russ.
Jessica ropes in Kris to help her with a video assignment. But Kris comes across evidence that suggests Jess has been cheating with her best friend’s boyfriend. Kris tells Jessica she will have to tell Zoe about her and Darren, with their conversation broadcast on radio after Kris inadvertently hits the ‘On Air’ button.
Coronation Street Round Up
Fiz and Kevin trail their respective other halves and Kevin feels relieved and foolish that he doubted her Sally.
Returning home, however, he almost catches John and Rosie in the act, but it is Fiz - so convinced that Sally is ‘the other woman’ that puts his mind at rest that John was ‘only’ with Rosie.
John’s relief may be short-lived, however, as Rosie seems to be enjoying the danger of it all, and starts to abuse her power over him.
Carla spends the night at Tony’s and later flirts with him on the phone - much to Liam’s chagrin, but he is stunned - as is Carla - when a woman slaps her and demands she stay away from Tony - her husband!
Meanwhile, Maria tells Audrey she is pregnant and Audrey urges her to tell Liam, but she finds that difficult as Liam is preoccupied with his fears for Carla. Later, Liam decides to turn detective to find out more about Tony.
Marcus drags Sean over to Violet. Sean swallows his pride and apologises for seeking legal advice and Violet assures him that she wants him to play a role in the baby’s life.
There’s a new arrival on the street in the form Violet’s attractive and bubbly sister, Lauren, who is an instant hit with the men - including Sean.
David continues to stir things, telling Becky that all’s not well between newlyweds Sarah and Jason.
Steve receives a call from his dad, Jim, telling him he’s going to be released from prison. Steve agrees to pick him up, but keeps the news to himself. How will Liz feel when she finds out? And what will Jim’s reaction be to the news about
Emmerdale Round Up
After Perdy finds a negative pregnancy test in the bin, she arranges to meet Matthew and confides in him that she’s now not sure that her marriage even worth saving. She offers to leave Grayson for Matthew, but later returns home to the news that Perdy is indeed pregnant.
Matthew fears losing Perdy again, but he has other worries when the police question him about Rosemary’s disappearance.
Miles tells Jasmine he’ll help with the story but wants payment. She urges Miles to fight Nicola but will she manage to persuade him to visit his father?
Later, Jasmine is disappointed when she catches Miles drinking. Will he listen to her advice and sober up enough to fight Nicola for what is his?
Marlon is increasingly jealous of Ross and Donna’s working relationship. When Ross’s girlfriend Kirsty arrives, Marlon perks up, but it seems she may not be the solution he had hoped for. Kirsty admits their relationship is rocky and Donna later urges Ross to end it.
Marlon’s paranoia finally boils over into violence, but it seems Ross is more than a match for him.
Doug and Hilary are bickering even as Daniel’s christening approaches, not helped when Doug accidentally spills red wine over the christening gown. They go to the factory to mak a new gown, but then Val and Pollard enter for a romantic rendezvous. Later, it seems Pollard may be serious about making an honest woman of Val.
And is the Bishop about to make an honest woman of Emily? They have an announcement to make, but it may not be what the gossips are expecting…
Neighbours Round Up
Richard is knocked unconscious when Rebecca tries to defend herself. Later in hospital it seems Richard is dying anyway - unless he gets a kidney transplant. Astoundingly, Declan volunteers as a donor, but Rebecca forbids it. It is left to Oliver to step up to the mark. But both he and Declan only want Richard to live long enough for Rebecca to get her day in court.
Steph’s first day at council doesn’t go well, but she finds an ally in Jackie, who lets Steph know that together they wield more power than Steph could imagine.
Haunted by memories of the Lassiter’s fire, Paul seeks psychiatric help, but Elle doesn’t approve of the advice he is given.
Kirsten realises Ned has forgotten his son’s birthday and lawyer Tim Collins urges her to work this to her advantage. However, Janae comes to the rescue with Lou and Harold – and an armful of presents – just in time.
Kirsten’s convinced by Tim to attempt to goad Janae into violence, which he can use as evidence of her unsuitable nature. A disappointed Toadie warns Ned to rein Janae in – or risk losing Mickey forever. But it could be too late, as Mickey sides with his mum and the police arrive to caution Janae.
Toadie is already struggling under his heavy case load in Rosie’s absence, but he manages to lure Diana Murray onside when she learns he is up against Tim.
Pepper is diagnosed with type 2 cervical dysplasia. Her medical procedure goes well but the doctor reveals she must abstain from sex for a few weeks. Pepper fears this may drive Adam into the arms of his new female partner!
Zeke persuades Bridget to stand up for her right to train with the boys but she is mortified when Miranda turns up on the touchline and can’t help venting her maternal spleen at her fellow footballers.
East Enders Round Up
Kevin, Shirley and Carly visit Deano in hospital but are shocked to see his injuries. Later, Kevin is horrified when he discovers what he has been selling and realises he has to get the car from the police and dispose of it.
Ronnie and Roxy are making last-minute changes ahead of the opening night of their club. Ronnie is keen to manage the club without any help from Phil, but Phil has other ideas. And the situation gets even more complicated when Jack turns up.
As the club finally opens, all the locals are there - including Steven Beale, though technically he is underage – but Roxy agrees to turn a blind eye.
And as the club party goes ahead, a sad, lonely Dot returns to the Square without Jim.
Meanwhile, Billy is still struggling to make ends meet, and Honey is determined to find out what his second job is.
Rodney defeated by Janice
Football pundit Rodney Marsh was beaten by a single star in the latest I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Bushtucker trial.
Outspoken former model Janice Dickinson managed to claim victory following the failure of her first challenge and won an evening meal for her team at Snake Rock.
Janice, who has referred to herself as the “alpha female” of the show, managed to snatch nine prize stars in the trial, which involved being launched into water in a jeep, which then sank as she grabbed for the stars inside it.
The America’s Top Model judge declared upon her return to camp: “I felt like my team mates had to eat. That’s all that I had. I tried to be a fearless warrior. I felt like James Bond. That I had to do this to save the world. I’m Janice Bond.” Ex-footballer Rodney emerged from the water with just eight stars, later moaning to his tem mates at Croc Creek about losing to a woman, though he insisted that it had been a joke.
Meanwhile, former Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins has entered the jungle and joined the Snake Rock team to replace Malcolm McLaren, who walked before the show started.
Penny Strictly not good enough
Penny Lancaster-Stewart took her last steps on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing this weekend after becoming the latest celebrity to be voted out of the contest.
The model received the least votes from the public before being voted out by a three to one margin from the competition’s judges with the decisive vote being cast by Len Goodman.
The model has regularly found herself at the bottom the judge’s scorecards in recent weeks but was saved from a dance off between the bottom two contestants by gaining sufficient support from the public vote.
The wife of Rod Stewart tearfully left the contest after the judges preferred to keep EastEnders star Matt Di Angelo and his dance partner Flavia Cacace in the competition.
BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan, wife of fellow Strictly contestant and former
Aardman tackles disabilities
Aardman Animations, the team responsible for Creature Comforts, are to tackle the issue of disability awareness and discrimination in a new advertising campaign.
A series of television, press and internet adverts are to be launched from next week featuring six comical plasticine characters all of whom are disabled in some way.
The Creature Discomforts characters, which are voiced by disabled people, include Peg the Hedgehog, Flash the Sausage Dog and Slim the Stick Insect.
The campaign is being launched by Leonard Cheshire Disability to highlight the discrimination many disabled people face on a daily basis.
The charity’s director general Bryan Dutton said the ads will urge people to change the way they see disability in order to remove the “unnecessary social barriers that are created largely through ignorance”.
Meanwhile Aardman has created a new character called Hector for a free road safety DVD being launched by Texaco. The DVDs, aimed at children, will be given away with fuel purchases.
McLaren pulls out before he gets to jungle
Malcolm McLaren, the former manager of the Sex Pistols, has pulled out of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! just hours before he was due to enter the jungle.
The 61-year old punk legend was set to appear alongside singer Cerys Matthews and chef John Burton Race in the new series of the ITV One show.
But after flying 5,000 miles from his home in Paris to the Australian outback to take part in the programme McLaren changed his mind and decided not to go through with it.
He was reportedly scared off after he was told about the numerous species of venomous snakes that inhabit the area around the camp.
But following his walkout McLaren told the Sun he left because he thought the show was fake, insisting: “They fix things. They know who’s going to win and lose.“ ITV said the programme will still go ahead as planned but there will only be nine contestants instead of the usual ten.
The first instalment of the new series, which also features former Eastenders actor Marc Bannerman and 1970s supermodel Janice Dickenson, is broadcast tonight.




