Rewind: September 2018

It’s time for the first in a new run of Monthly ‘Rewind’ editorials with Mike Watkins as he looks back over the good, the bad and the ugly of September 2018.

A Celebration of ITC to take place in November

This month some special guests were announced for the ‘A Celebration of ITC’ event which is taking place at the iconic Elstree Studios later this year. ITC was the sister company to ATV which produced mainly film-shot action dramas as well as an export arm which sold ATV videotaped programming around the world.

ITC Entertainment was a powerhouse of filmed television drama from the 1950s to the 1980s, producing a succession of hit action-adventure series such as The Saint, Danger Man, The Prisoner, Department S, Man in a Suitcase, The Champions, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and The Persuaders!. 

Special guests, including those who starred in and worked on the shows, as well as those who have been inspired by them, will take part in exclusive and interactive Q&A sessions. In addition, there will be official and exclusive screenings, signings, and other happenings, to celebrate how ITC entertained the world. Confirmed names include William Gaunt, Annette Andre, Angela Douglas and Shane Rimmer.

Any profits from the event will be donated to Ty Gobaith Children’s Hospice. Book online ahead fans of action-adventure there will be no ‘pay at the door’ facility. Find out more here.

Roger Moore was The Saint for ITC, which aired in the UK on ITV via ATV!

Gender pay gap blown out of time and space

Doctor Who lead Jodie Whittaker has said her pay isn’t any lower than her male predecessors. Peter Capaldi’s wage packet was partially revealed in a BBC report with it revealed to be around £200,000-£249,999, per year. This didn’t include the added bonuses and perks of BBC Worldwide additional income from global sales, merchandise and DVD releases.

Speaking to the Radio Times Whittaker cleared up the matter of speculation there may be a gender pay issue for the timelord who has been entertaining beeb audiences since 1963.

“I absolutely know I am not being paid less than any other Doctor… We’re just all actors, and that’s what we feel like this show represents. It’s just actors, and creatives and writers telling a story.” – Jodie Whittaker speaking to Radio Times

American pianist Eric Lu wins The Leeds International Piano Competition

20-year old American pianist, Eric Lu, was awarded first place and the Dame Fanny Waterman Gold Medal at the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition 2018, a triennial event which is widely regarded as among the most coveted prizes in the musical world. He also won the Terence Judd Hallé Orchestra Prize. In the contest which took place on Saturday, September 15th, Eric won a £25,000 cash prize and a host of other incentives to boost his music career.

“All the pianists  have shown extraordinary  talent, passion and  dedication throughout the Competition, and it goes without saying that the standard of playing has been remarkable. Many of the world’s greatest pianists have started out at The Leeds and I’m certain all the 2018 Finalists  have bright futures, and we look forward to supporting what we believe will be successful and fulfilling careers.” – Paul Lewis, Chair of the Jury and Co-Artistic Director of The Leeds

Big Screen Bike Poll puts McQueen top of the Greats

Steve McQueen’s dramatic fence-jump in 1963 classic The Great Escape has been named the greatest movie motorcycle scene ever. The high-speed leap was made on a Triumph TR6 Trophy by stunt double Bud Ekins after McQueen crashed attempting the stunt himself. The scene was described by the panel as the ‘quintessential motorbike stunt’.

Maverick’s bike scene in Top Gun, which sees Hollywood star Tom Cruise bombing around the airfield ahead of a mission, took the second spot. The chaotic animated sheep rescue in Wallace And Gromit: A close Shave came third. There was a full list of 20 moments polled, but life is surely too short to ponder all of them, let’s hop on a motorbike and move on…

“Nothing embodies the same level of chaotic cool as a well-choreographed bike stunt on-screen, and there have been some classic two-wheeled moments throughout the history of cinema. Steve McQueen’s fateful leap is not only the most iconic scene from The Great Escape, but has now been named the best appearance of a motorbike in any movie.” – spokesperson for motorcycle insurer Lexham Insurance, which commissioned the study

Baby blunder plot is ridiculous, so it is

Lorraine Kelly, the face and short skirts of ITV Daytime for over 30 years, has branded the latest Coronation Street baby-swap plot – and there has been a few of them – ‘unbelievable‘ and ‘over sensationalised’. The latest storyline, introduced by departed producer Kate Oates, has seen Jim McDonald return to Weatherfield informing ex-wife Liz that their deceased baby was amazingly mistaken for a living baby and swapped not long after giving birth.

It, however, turns out to be a scam concocted by Jim and his latest love-interest to scam his ex-wife. The original plot, from 1992, saw Liz and Jim lose their baby named Katie when she died having been born prematurely.

“It’s a bit icky – and frankly unbelievable – that Corrie has Jim McDonald pretending his current girlfriend is his dead daughter in order to wreak revenge on his clan. More Game of Thrones than a game of dominoes down the Rovers… and I can’t take it seriously.” – Lorraine Kelly, speaking in The Sun

Kelly, who has presented for TV-am, GMTV, Daybreak and Good Morning Britain, added she was however glad to see Charlie Lawson – who has played Jim on and off since 1990 – back on Corrie.

Larry Lamb and Hayley Mills to star in BBC Daytime Drama

Larry and Hayley are set to take centre stage in Pitching In, a new family drama for BBC One Wales which will be networked across BBC One daytime schedules next year. Filming began on Monday, September 10th in Wales. The drama is set around a caravan park on the north Wales coast. It tells the story of three generations of the same family, all struggling to make the best of a very unusual – and sometimes very difficult – situation. It will also feature an all-star cast including Caroline Sheen and Ifan Huw Dafydd.

“Eleven years after Gavin and Stacey burst onto the scene I’m heading out west again, switching Barry Island for Anglesey this time!  I’m delighted to be playing the role of Frank in Pitching In – it’s a touching, funny and romantic story and a fascinating glimpse of life on the north Wales coast.”  – Larry Lamb

Larry Lamb is back on the beeb in a new drama.

> Lucky for Coleen she was saved from being the most hated woman in Britain by the incredibly stupid Roxanne Pallett who seemingly decided to pull a stunt of false ‘woman beating’ accusations in a house full of television cameras recording every moment. Ryan Thomas, whom she accused of said bashing, went on to win Celebrity Big Brother. Pallett keeps apologising to anyone who cares to take notice for the fiasco. I’m not convinced genuinely about the accusation; more to try and save what little career she still had.

> Louise Redknapp has joined Harveys the sofa specialist store. No times haven’t got that hard for her, she’s not there 9 to 5 trying to flog you a three-piece suite. Harveys approached singer, presenter, fashion blogger and interiors enthusiast Louise to collaborate with them. It was her flair for interiors and effortless styling, the company say, that inspired them to ask Louise to partner with the brand on an exclusive furniture collection. BOLD by Louise is available now exclusively from Harveys online www.harveysfurniture.co.uk and in 136 Harveys stores nationwide.

Media Movers: This month The Sunday Times has named Stephen Bleach as its full-time Letters Editor, following his appointment to the role in January this year on an acting basis. The Economist has hired Alok Jha as a Science Correspondent, starting in December. Alok has previously served as Science Correspondent at ITV News. new! magazine has selected Donna Smiley as a True Life Feature Writer while The Mail on Sunday has appointed Helen Cahill as a Business Reporter, the Financial Times has assigned Phil Oakley to the role of Associate Editor at Investors Chronicle. The Guardian has appointed Lucy Mangan in the role of TV Critic and former STV News producer Finlay Duncan has joined BBC Radio Scotland as Senior Journalist for Radio News.

Louise Redknapp has been fully involved in the design process, working with the Harveys team to ensure every detail fits her own style aesthetic for her sofa range.

Denise Van Outen cried after injury forced Chicago exit

“I was devastated. I literally sat indoors and cried for three days. But I will be fine, there are worse things that can happen.”

Denise Van Outen revealed on Loose Women (17th Sept) her devastation after a foot injury forced her to pull out of stage musical Chicago. In the run up to getting fit for her new role as Velma Kelly, Denise told how she was suddenly in extreme pain and unable to continue having to ditch the old razzle dazzle for a foot up in the air.

“I’ve got a stress fracture right through the heel. It’s pretty bad. I think it was just because I was doing uphill training. I was sprinting uphill. This is quite a common injury for rock climbers or any kind of hill training.”

The former The Big Breakfast host went on to talk about how having to take her best foot backwards and pull out of the theatre show made her feel;

“It’s awful. The thing is I felt fantastic – mentally, physically, I was feeling really good, on top form. I was devastated. The show had just been announced I was going into it. I did the show 17 years ago, I was so looking forward to it. I knew people had bought tickets. You just feel awful and so responsible for the fact that people are coming to see you – I just cried! I will do [return]. I’ve got a scan tomorrow, hopefully I can take the boot off soon.

Loose Women as you know airs at 12.30pm weekdays on ITV in England and Wales, STV across Scotland and on UTV in Northern Ireland.

What’s Happening With Katie Price This Month?

It’s a question we know is on everyone’s lips. What has the darling of print, screen and kebab shops been up to in September? Well she’s been apparently dropped from Loose Women for, as Metro paper reported, being filmed on a phone rapping about ‘loving coke’ in a video from a wild break in Majorca. The video also included the comment, ‘f*** my job in the media’.

However, she may be wishing she hadn’t been recorded rapping about her apparent love of cocaine after a bedroom in her house caught fire. The family home is currently up for sale, and those ITV appearance fees would surely have helped with the repair bill. It had been reported last month the ex of Peter Andre was in severe financial trouble.

Quote of the Month

Reality ‘star’ Gemma Collins is the latest name to wade into the Loose Women “needs shaking up” debate following the show coming in for critisim as it struggles in the ratings. The series reached its biggest low (in a list of many) – with ITV Daytime avoiding accepting following an edition created via outright stupidity – when it organised a deliberate orchestrated attack on How Clean Is Your House and Hotel GB personality Kim Woodburn. The guest was introduced with sinsiter music, had Janet Street Porter dressed as a judge and two Nolans bating and mocking Woodburn.

Nearly 30,000 viewers (branded tolls by ITV daytime via This Morning, charming!) took to change.org to vent their outrage, while many took their concerns to TV regulator (though its not very good) Ofcom. It appears however Kim isn’t the only one who feels Loose Women is more Loose Morons these days. Charlotte Crosby and the late Joan Rivers found the show far from quality while Whoopi Goldberg, who hosts the original stateside version The View, seemed baffled by its trival content and now Gemma Collins has been left feeling a bit put out by the 18-year-old ITV series. She branded it ‘rude’.

“I think it’s bland, it’s boring, it needs shaking up. I wouldn’t give them the pleasure of having me now – never again. If I was hosting a show, I think there is a way of asking questions. Everyone more or less that I know, goes on it and comes off very upset. It’s basically one person against four women. Loose Women will never get me.” – Gemma Collins speaking to Digital Spy

Gemma Collins has had enough of being a Loose Woman.

Rewind RIP

We recently said goodbye to Emergency Ward 10 and Crossroads actor John Line who died aged 87, the fabulous Fenella Fielding of Carry On Screaming fame aged 90, Lovejoy and Pink Panther actor Dudley Sutton who was 85, Space 1999 and Doctor Who actress Zienia Merton passed away aged 72, Sixpenny Corner and Last of the Summer Wine actress Liz Frazer died 88. Morecambe and Wise producer Ernest Maxin passed on aged 95 and Postman Pat and Rosie and Jim creator John Cunliffe aged 85.

Comedy writer and ITV presenter Denis Norden bowed out at 96 while Johnny Kingdom best known for his wildlife films died aged 79, Boogie Nights movie star Burt Reynolds passed away aged 82, singer and composer Chas Hodges of Chas and Dave fame died aged 74, BBC radio presenter Rachael Bland left aged 40 and American actor Bill Daily, best known in the UK for his role in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, died at 91.

Picture of the Month

Rewind to September 3rd and a face it seems many of her ex-Emmerdale colleagues have been waiting years for to see, apparently. Roxanne Pallett finally caught out after a large number of former co-workers suggestted she’d been, one way or another, behind ‘years of bullshit’. Roxanne was giving The Wright Stuff Jeremy Vine a well-scripted apology on Channel 5 when the image was snapped. Therefore A ) Hardly anyone saw it and B ) when you’re caught on CBB cameras being such a vindictive little bitch its a bit late…

Pallett, once a darling of tabloid gutter pages, has also apparently been banned from a garden centre in Thirsk for ‘diva behaviour’. If only TV bosses had the same sense…