Who will make it through to The X Factor final 12?

In just over half an hours time, The X Factor bursts onto our screens with judges Simon, Cheryl, Louis and Dannii choosing their final three for the live shows next week. But who will be one step closer to winning that recording contract?

After last night dramatic episode coming from the judges locations around the world, Los Angeles, Marrakesh, Lake Como and Dubai, they really have their work cut out.

Simon has a tough decision as all six of his contestants appear to have faultless vocals. Cheryl and Dannii also have a tough choice to make with some of the younger contestants making an impact. But Louis has the hardest choice. I think this series is the first one where there have been no outstanding groups. Sorry but there is no real JLS or Journey South at this point.

So who will the judges put through? There are bound to be some surprises along the way. Check back for The X Factor: The Final Twelve on this blog after the ITV1 show.

The X Factor – Tonight at 20:00 on ITV1

Charity’s return a success

Source: The Sun

Emma Atkins’ return to Emmerdale last night was a success for the ITV rural soap.

Atkins, who plays Charity Dingle was seen last night returning in a shock wedding plot. The two episodes, broadcast at 7pm and 8pm attracted 6.8 and 7.7 million viewers respectively. The shows highest rating since February. However it was not enough to be placed as the top watched show of the day. That honour went to BBC One’s EastEnders. London Mayor, Boris Johnson’s cameo attracted 8 million just ahead of Coronation Street that appealed to 7.8 million.

The Bill however performed well last night with 4.2 million in the 9pm slot. Ratings are slowly rising for the police drama that has been struggling since it moved to the later time.

Emmerdale continues tonight at 7pm on ITV1 and if you missed it last night you can catch up on ITV Player.

Charity begins at home.

The return of Charity Dingle to Emmerdale has been the second most talked about soap comeback this year (you can guess what the first one was). A few months ago a picture was posted on the Internet of a wedding invitation, hinting that Charity would be making a comeback in a wedding dress. Then there was the trailer which left us more baffled than we were before.

That is of course until now. If you are an Emmerdale fan (and I am sure there are some left out there) you may have been aware that Debbie (Charity’s daughter, used to be a lesbian but is no more) has been seeing a guy called Michael, much to her father Cain’s disgust. He has let her down many times and last week it was revealed that Michael was engaged. Not only that but in true soap style his wedding is due to take place this week!

Now I consider myself as being quite clever but I have to say that even I was shocked when I saw the news today. As Debbie makes her way to Durham with her hard-faced father in toe, to stop the wedding she is shocked when the bride turns out to be none other that her mother Charity, played by Emma Atkins.

One thing is for sure there will be fireworks and high drama as a new family feud develops. They are all Dingles after all!

Below is a preview of one of Thursday nights episodes…

Emmerdale – Thursday 1 October – 7pm and 8pm ITV1

What To Watch – Sunday 29th March

DAMAGES

Will Patty (Glenn Close) have what it takes to bring down UNR? (Source: Poptimal)

BBC ONE 10:20 PM

Ellen is still trying to get information on Patty in order to destroy her. She turns to Uncle Pete, the old guy who seems a bit of a dark character. Can he provide Ellen with the crucial information she needs? Also Arthur Frobisher who agreed to work alongside Patty last week to quash URN starts work but will he flip to the other side or stay true to Patty? 

 

YELLOWSTONE

BBC TWO 8:00 PM

In the final part autumn comes to an end at Yellowstone and the snow and ice are fast approaching. Will the various species be able to cope with the sudden cold snap as they move out of the safety of the national park? Also the freezing over of rivers prompts work for beavers who are busy repairing dams and fighting for survival. Not only do the animals that inhabit around the Yellowstone area need to survive the falling temperatures but find what little space there is left that has not been inhabited by humans. 

 

PIERS MORGAN’S LIFE STORIES

How much will Ulrika reveal? (Source: Mirror)

ITV1 10:00 PM

He is the man who will ask any question. He leaves no subject unmentioned and tonight should be interesting as he interviews Ulrika Jonsson. She might have won Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year but she is no stranger to being in the spotlight when it comes to her personal life. With four children by four different men and an alleged rape story, will Morgan be able to extract all of the fine details and get her to open up to what really happened. And will she name the man that did it. Was it really John Leslie? If anyone can get it out of her he can. Tune in tonight to find out what she has to say about life in the media spotlight.

Britton heads to the Beeb

  

Fern is defecting back to the BBC (Source: Guardian)

The Sun has reported that Fern Britton has accepted a job at the BBC.

The 50 year-old presenter who announced her decision to quit ITV1′s This Morning this week is said to be the new face on a light entertainment show to be broadcast on the BBC.

Britton has also stepped down as presenter of the British Soap Awards this year. She would have been presenting it with Phillip Schofield and would not have been receiving as much money for doing it.

Yesterday she denied that her and Schofield had been having disagreements and that their friendship was still the same as it had been before her decision to quit.

What To Watch – Tuesday 24th March

MISTRESSES

BBC ONE 9:00 PM

I really don’t want this series to come to an end and hope it will be back next year. The explosive finale tonight exposes Katie and Jack’s affair but who will be the ones to find out? Also tonight Jess contemplates life a single mum as her marriage is still in tatters. Trudi also has a decision to make, does she go back to Richard or stay with her new love interest, her work colleague. Meanwhile can Siobhan mend her marriage and will Hari be able to forgive her? Sounds like a fitting finale for such a compelling drama. Tune in tonight to find out what happens.

 

HOLLOWAY

ITV1 9:00 PM

If Mistresses isn’t your thing then maybe Holloway will be slightly more appealing. The second in the three-part run goes behind the scenes at the women’s prison and sheds some light on prison life. Tonight, inmates that self-harm in order to escape their life behind bars. This is a thought-provoking and sometimes quite shocking insight into the life on some of the offenders, particularly the younger ones.

 

THE LION CUB FROM HARRODS

FIVE 8:00 PM

This documentary tells the story of two Australians that bought a lion cub from Harrods in 1969. They raised the cub and it was treated it as if it were their child. However when it became too large, the lion had to be released into the wild in Kenya. Years on the reunion is a YouTube hit and you can watch it above. It is phenomenal how the lion acts towards the two. It just shows what a good upbringing can do!

Ray Quinn wins Dancing On Ice

Ray is crowned Dancing On Ice Champion for 2009 (Source: MSN)

 

Ray Quinn has just been announced as the 2009 champion of Dancing On Ice. 

Former Brookside and X Factor star Quinn beat Donal McIntyre in the final and was the favourite from the beginning. He was awarded the trophy by Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill.

Jessica Taylor finished third in the competition and was upset because she could not perform the Bolero. 

Dancing On Ice may be over for this year but will return to ITV1 in 2010.

What To Watch – Sunday 22nd March

DANCING ON ICE – THE FINAL

Join Holly and Phillip for the live final. Tonight from 6:55pm on ITV1 (Source: Guardian)

ITV1 6:55 PM

Ray, Donal and Jessica battle it out on the ice tonight to impress the judges and the public and become the Dancing On Ice 2009 Champion. Earlier in the week, Jayne Torvill claimed that Quinn was quite vulnerable but he still stands as the favourite to win. Jessica has stayed consistent all the way through the competition with Donal becoming one of the most improved skaters.

After one is eliminated, the two remaining skaters will dance to Bolero, a dance Torvill and Dean won gold for 25 years ago. This is the ultimate challenge and the judges along with Torvill and Dean will be watching their every move. The three finalists will also perform their favourite dance of the series and one which involves flying through the air. But at the end of the day it is up to the harshest critics to decide the winner, us the public. 

Join Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby tonight for the live final and don’t forget to vote for your favourite!

 

THE SECRET MILLIONAIRE

CHANNEL 4 9:00 PM

It has returned to our screens for an eight-part run and tonight the secret millionaire, known as Kevin Morley visits Haringey in North London where housing problems are increasingly growing in the area. Can he transform the lives of some of Haringey’s residents? Being an entrepreneur and former Managing Director of Rover, I am sure that he will help in making a difference to the ever increasing housing problem in Haringey. I can’t wait to see the look on the residents faces when he reveals his true identity. 

 

CHRIS MOYLES’ QUIZ NIGHT

Will the radio genius pull it off on TV? (Source: London Is Free)

CHANNEL 4 10:00 PM

Channel 4 say in the advert that they have finally got him and yes they have. Tonight sees the launch of Chris Moyles’ news quiz show. I am imagining it to be a bit like 8 Out Of 10 Cats but I could be wrong. Chris is a funny guy but I have my reservations about him doing his own TV show. I am willing to give him a chance though and he has some great guests on tonight. Joining him will be, Mark Ronson, X Factor judge Louis Walsh and EastEnder Barbara Windsor.

 

DAMAGES

BBC ONE 10:20 PM

This series is getting better and better and Glenn Close is such a brilliant actress as corrupt lawyer Patty Hewes. Tonight she appears on a TV interview in order to accuse Walter Kendrick of murder. But does she have all the evidence she needs and I am itching to find out who Ellen Parsons shoots at the end!

What To Watch – Saturday 21st March

ANT AND DEC’S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY

ITV1 7;45 PM

It’s the last Takeaway of the series this week so why not order a takeaway and stay in to see who will escape from Takeaway prison for the last time. The three remaining celebs compete to break free. High School Musical star Zac Efron takes over the sound booth and Lily Allen also drops in to perform her new single Not Fair, which you can watch above. Ant -v- Dec The Teams comes to a conclusion with an all singing all dancing finale. Musical toadstools is also back and a member of the audience will be given the chance to win the ads. Make sure you tune in and join the Geordie duo for more laughs and entertainment.

 

FILM – NOTTING HILL

ITV1 9:00 PM 

Last week, ITV1 showed About A Boy and this week it’s Notting Hill. Must be Hugh Grant season or something. They also had Bridget Jones on ITV2 the other night. Anyway back to tonight. Notting Hill is one of those rom-coms that makes you proud to be British. Much like Love Actually and Four Wedding and A Funeral. The film follows Hugh Grant who is a divorced bookshop owner. He falls in love with a Hollywood star played by Julia Roberts but can he win her heart? Grant’s interest in a media story almost brings their relationship to the end but I think we all know that films like this have a happy ending. Look out for other great cast members like, Dylan Moran and The Vicar of Dibley’s Emma Chambers. Notting Hill is a feel-good film for a Saturday evening.

 

FILM – GOSFORD PARK

CHANNEL 4 9:00 PM

It is unusual for me to have two films in this section but there isn’t much else on television tonight. Gosford Park is Channel 4′s offering tonight. The film, released in 2oo1 stars Maggie Smith, Alan Bates and Michael Gambon. The plot is based around a murder that takes place in a country house in the 1930′s. It had very good reviews when it came out and if the rom-com is not your cup of tea, why not give Gosford Park a look. Some may have seen it already, I haven’t personally but think it may be the one I will be watching tonight.

 

What To Watch – Tuesday 17th March

MISTRESSES

BBC ONE 9:00 PM

The penultimate episode of the series is upon us already and tonight we see a guest star in the form of Tracey-Ann Oberman. She will be best remembered as Chrissie Watts in EastEnders. She plays the editor of an erotic magazine tonight and hires Jessica (Shelley Conn) to organise a ‘twisted tea party’. Sounds interesting! She also befriends Jessica and offers her advice on how to handle her husband and stop him from straying. But could the editor be helping herself to Mark at the same time?

Also there is a double break-up as Trudi (Sharon Small) and Siobhan (Orla Brady) come to terms with single life. It is a very different story for Katie (Sarah Parish) though who has two men on the go, shame she didn’t have another she could’ve pointed the ones she didn’t want in Trudi and Siobhan’s direction. But the question is which one will Katie choose? Dan, her new love interest or Jack, the blast from the past, oh yeah and her boss! Looks like another brilliant episode in preparation for next weeks big finale.

 

HOLLOWAY

ITV1 9:00 PM

A new three part ITV documentary goes behind bars at HMP Holloway in north London. The programme gives an insight into some of the lives of the inmates. Not all 500 of course, just a few but I am sure a few will be enough. Tonight we meet 41 year-old Lorraine who has never been in trouble before. She is awaiting sentencing after running someone over following an argument. Also we meet 18 year-old Chloe who is just about to finish her fourth stretch in prison this year.Yes that it right, she has been in prison four times in a year! But she has no home to go to when she is released. What is she going to do? ITV dig deep and uncover the harsh reality that is prison life in one Britain’s toughest prisons.

 

DANGEROUS LOVE : A COMIC RELIEF SPECIAL

BBC ONE 10:35 PM

It’s a situation that no woman wants to be involved in, domestic violence. It is happening all the time though and unfortunately the number of cases is on the increase. This documentary fronted by model Danielle Lloyd illustrates what the money raised from Comic Relief is doing to help teenagers suffering domestic abuse. During the programme that was previously shown on BBC Three, Lloyd who has sustained domestic violence in the past, travels to an organisation that is funded by Comic Relief. The leader, a woman who has also suffered from domestic violence, uses her experiences to help teenagers going through the same thing. This looks like a real eye-opener and shows the good that Comic Relief is doing to help alleviate this growing problem.

 

HORNE AND CORDEN

BBC THREE 10:30 PM

Last weeks opener was masterful and broke a BBC Three record as being the top rated comedy for the channel. Tonight be prepared for more of the same as Horne and Corden do what they do best. Their on-screen and I am sure their off-screen relationship is amazing, they seem to bounce off eachother so do not forget to tune in and see two of the funniest guys on TV in their very own sketch show.