Showbiz 5: From split rumours to no more Nish

In the first newswrap of 2025 Judi Dentures casts her views over recent entertainment news…

Katie is still Priceless …for the gossip mags

Let us begin with the bottom of the barrel, but always good for a laugh – yes, it is our favourite walking wax work, Katie Price. Just before NYE entertainment magazine OK! reported that ‘Katie Price headed for a joint Botox appointment this week with her boyfriend JJ Slater, with the pair showing they are still together after being plagued by split rumours.’

We assume the rumours were about their relationship and not that some of her cosmetic surgery was falling apart.

Navin Chowdhry on his time at EastEnders…

He’s the man viewers have loved to hate as Nish Panesar but New Year saw a dramatic exit for the disgraced head of the family. Speaking after his exit aired Navin noted of his time on the BBC Elstree production ‘It’s been the most wonderful adventure that I could have hoped for. I can remember my first conversation with Chris Clenshaw when we were discussing having me on board, and the word that came up a couple of times in our chat about the character was ‘explosive’, and that’s what appealed to me. Chris made some promises, and he and the team delivered.’

Chowdhry adds, ‘I have loved it. My last day of filming was a very emotional one. God forbid if they put the behind the scenes footage out. [Laughs] There were tears from quite a lot of us on the day. I’m even feeling quite emotional talking about it now because it’s meant so much to be a part of this journey.’

‘When I had a meeting about Sixmas in October 2023, Chris [Clenshaw] told me I was the body on The Vic floor, and I thought ‘OK, nice knowing you’ [laughs] and then he said ‘but you don’t die, and this is what happens’. We’ve always been on the same page about this character, so I feel very lucky that we’ve all been in sync. The conversations just organically evolved; it was like we both knew what each other was going to say before we said it. I’ve had a wonderful time here, I’ve got a lot of love for Chris, so every box was ticked and I thought, ‘yeah, let’s go out with a bang’.’

And a bang Nish certainly went out with, EastEnders as noted on of all places GB News recently is the serial producers make for the viewers, the ones over on ITV are too busy box ticking social issues to notice if anyone is really interested. Well done ‘Enders, you get my ‘Soap of the Year’ drag badge, and its only the 5th of January.

Weatherfield-Upon-Sun Hill

Sticking with the serials, and over at ITV1 Coronation Street has been the feature of several none-too-positive stories in the tabloids lately. To think a few years ago The Street had voted for, by the public, one of its greatest moments being when Blanche Hunt went on a rant about her family. No police, no police station, no explosives, fires or stabbings. Just a woman with a script that entertained.

These days Corrie appears to be one long public service film, with endless plots in association with A, B or C. Now soaps have always done social awareness, but they were spread over years, not every other week. Last time we noted how Sally Ann Matthews who plays Jenny Connor on the show had noted publically that ITV Studios isn’t putting the money into the show anymore. Reports this week suggest she was ‘told off’ by bosses for noting it. She doesn’t need to note it – it is clear to see. While EastEnders filmed sequences at a church on OB last year, over at Corrie the big Christmas Day wedding was held… in the bistro.

There is a feeling Corrie is indestructible, but there have been periods in the past when it came close to ending, 1975 was a particularly bad time for the show and Granada considered its demise – again in the mid-1980s bosses pondered its future. Today, The Sun notes, ‘Coronation Street has faced significant challenges this year, including a financial crisis, declining ratings and high-profile cast departures – but can it be saved?’

Anything can be saved, but it takes action and that is something ITV bosses are not seemingly willing to do as in that ivory tower they’re all patting each other on the back for another great social plot that might win some award somewhere. ITV will only act once the ratings get to the point the production is unsustainable – and then it will be too little, too late for the once nation’s favourite street.

In other Corrie news reality entity Gemma Collins says she would love a roll on The Street. The TOWIE famed name says she’s become friendly with Claire Sweeney and is hoping to take the soap by storm. You can make your own jokes about that…

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale draws the viewers

The comedy drama has the UK’s highest rating scripted show with 19.3 million viewers and counting, the Beeb note, but only since 2002 when for some reason ratings were reset leading to these odd boasts.

The actual single highest rating episode of a scripted show remains with Coronation Street for a single broadcast episode when Bet Lynch took over the Rovers Return in 1985 with the 2 January edition attracting 21.40 million viewers – EastEnders’ 30 million – when Den Watts gave Angie a Christmas Day to remember – was a combined ratings of more than one screening.

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale has smashed the show’s own record from the 2019 Christmas special which reached 18.5 million viewers in 28-days. The last ever episode took the top spot on Christmas Day and was watched by a 12.3 million viewers, making it the biggest Christmas Day overnight since 2008. It has since added over 6 million to its total.

Murder of the BBC NYE schedules?

Viewers north of the border may have been thankful that BBC One Scotland ‘opts out’ of the BBC One network offering on New Year’s Eve as the 2024 offering was panned by some viewers. While the Scottish enjoyed a pre-recorded Hogmanay special; in England, Wales and Northern Ireland a pre-recorded Sophie Ellis-Bextor special was offered up.

The Murder On The Dancefloor performer, 45, kicked off 2025 with a medley of hits, including duets with Jessie Ware, Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears and The Last Dinner Party. The Daily Mail noted ‘While some viewers praised her performance as ‘world class’ and an ‘absolute treat’, others branded it ‘cringe’ and compared her singing to ‘karaoke night’.

Speaking in social media, Sophie said, ‘I’ve seen many a new year in with the BBC on as Big Ben chimes, so I really see it as the biggest honour my band and I got to ring in 2025 with whoever was watching.’

Everything is pre-recorded these days, where is the real fun? Jool Holland records his BBC Two culturally lifting programme weeks ahead, STV – the Channel 3 offering in Scotland – was pre-recorded, even with the lovely Sean Batty. Channel 4 give up at 9pm and Channel 5 sort of tried with a best-of singalong with Jane McDonald.

Maybe one of the channels should take a risk – and like CNN – go live on NYE with a live OB from an iconic location with increasingly, as the night goes on, drunk hosts. We then might see Sophie Ellis Bextor being sick on the dancefloor… hmmm maybe not.

In the showbiz departure lounge this week are Australian country music star Chad Morgan, who reportedly was the visual inspiration for the late Barry Humpries character Sir Les Patterson. Chad passed away aged 91. Also, musician Wayne Osmond – who sang with his brothers in chart-topping pop group The Osmonds – died aged 73 and singer Brenton Wood passed away at the age of 83.

Britt Allcroft, died aged 81. Britt took the Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s children’s books The Railway Series and turned them into a long running telly show, Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends for ITV, with narration by Ringo Starr.

The views expressed are of Judi Dentures and not ATV Today. Penelope Teeth, Judi Dentures and Joanna Gumley are ATV’s exclusive showbiz drag queens with bite.