Waveguide TV and Radio News - Thursday August 14 2008

With recent storylines including a sister with an eating disorder and best friend on heroin, it is a wonder Hollyoaks actor Sonny Flood had time to study.

But the 18-year-old was delighted today when he discovered he had passed A-level English literature with an A grade and A-level history with a B.

Flood, whose character Josh Ashworth gets his AS-level results today, passed four AS-levels last year, in English, history, media studies and philosophy.

He decided to concentrate on two A-levels this year but hopes to go to university after completing another A-level next year.

"It's not been too bad juggling it because the producers at Hollyoaks have always been very accommodating and if I have ever needed time off to study, they have been fine," he said.

The teenager, who has been in the Channel 4 soap for the past three years, studied at the private Rossall School, in Fleetwood, Lancashire.

His contract with Hollyoaks lasts for another year.

The BBC is to show highlights of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics after viewerss complained they did not show enough evening highlights.

BBC executives originally turned their backs on complaints that BBC One's highlights coverage of Friday's four-hour opening ceremony had been insufficient.

They said the evening highlights programme on BBC One last Friday "showed over 30 minutes of the opening ceremony – taking up more than half the programme".

"For digital viewers the whole ceremony was available via the red button all night (along with a 90-minute edited version) and there was also extensive coverage on the BBC website," the corporation said on the BBC complaints website.

"In addition, the four-hour ceremony was featured on BBC iPlayer for seven days after transmission."

However, the BBC has now announced it will show an extended highlights programme of the opening ceremony next Friday, August 22, on BBC One.

The BBC said it was in response to "audience feedback on this issue".

17:50 August 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk

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BBC Radio 1 DJ Dave Pearce is to leave the station, it has been announced.

Pearce, who has been with Radio 1 since 1995, said it was "time to move on" and was working on some new radio projects.

"It's been an incredible 13 years at Radio 1 - I would like to thank the teams who have worked with me for making it such fun," he said.

Pearce will be leaving the station along with Eddie Halliwell in October as part of a number of changes to the station's evening schedule.

"Of all the shows I've presented Dance Anthems is the one I'm most proud of creating and I am delighted that even in our recent late night slot we increased our audience," Pearce added.

Ben Cooper, Radio 1's head of programmes said: "I'd like to thank both Dave and Eddie for their commitment to Radio 1 and wish them all the very best for the future."

17:02 August 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk

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Comedian Griff Rhys Jones is to front a new series of ITV's It'll Be Alright On The Night.

He will take over the host's role from Dennis Norden, who retired in 2006 after a 30-year run with the programme.

The revived show is being made by ITV Productions and has been earmarked for a primetime Saturday night spot on ITV1 this autumn.

Rhys Jones said he was honoured to be asked to take over from "the master of catastrophe out-takes".

"I have boobed myself - I know the territory. It's always been a great, great show. I am ready, willing and awfully excited by the opportunity to take it on to the 22nd century," he said.

12:46 August 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk

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BBC Daytime is taking Crimewatch on the road for a month of live programmes filmed across the UK.

Each week, the programme will come from a different part of the country and the programme will work in partnership with local BBC regional news teams to provide campaign updates throughout the day via their regional news bulletins.

Crimewatch presenter and former detective Rav Wilding will front this month-long daytime event, which will focus on the everyday crimes that affect people – such as burglary, car theft and vandalism.

Liam Keelan, Controller BBC Daytime, says: "Crimewatch Roadshow is an example of the highly relevant subjects we're covering through live events on BBC Daytime.

"By working alongside our regional news teams, the BBC is in a unique position to properly tackle the kind of crimes that really concern our viewers in their own towns.

"We hope that it may result in some real success in capturing the criminals."

Crimewatch Roadshow starts next month.

Actor Gary Oldman is appearing in a promotional campaign for ITV's live football programming for the new season, with the broadcaster adding England's home internationals and FA Cup matches to its portfolio.

Oldman features in an ITV on-air promo talking about how "Good things come in threes" - a reference to the broadcaster's live England, FA Cup and Uefa Champions League coverage.

The on-air trailer, titled "The Power of Three", also promotes the fact that ITV will be offering football content across TV, online and mobile this season. The Oldman promo clip will run across ITV1 and ITV4 from this Saturday.

In the trailer, produced by ITV Creative, Oldman makes references to the many things in life that come in threes.

He talks about three wishes, the three wise men, three dimensions, primary colours and the saying "lights, camera, action".

Visual references throughout the trailer include three flying ducks across a wall, three lions on an England shirt and three cricket stumps.

"The Champions League, the FA Cup and England internationals on ITV," Oldman says while juggling a football. "Now that's some hat-trick."

09:59 August 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk

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Jade Goody is expected to fly to Mumbai this weekend to take part in India's version of Big Brother.

After appearing on Britain's Celebrity Big Brother, Goody became a national villain following her apparent racist rants at Indian star Shilpa Shetty.

Goody who was removed from the show in 2007 after accusations of racially abusing the Bollywood actress.

This will be the third time that Goody has been involved in a version of the reality show after she shot to fame in BB3.

She is said to be nervous about her appearance.

According to a newspaper quote: "Jade really wants to clear her name and prove that she is not racist."

I am happy for her. Yes, we have made her out to be the villian...yes, she has made a mistake...but haven't we all? And we would want a second chance. Now Jade has a second chance... and I think she has it in her to prove us all wrong.

I wish her all the best, and hope the kind people of India give her
their love and support.

South Korea's LG Electronics said today the flat screen television market was poised for much slower growth in 2009 but maintained high growth targets for its own plasma and liquid crystal products.

"We definitely expect a slowdown in the growth of the TV market," said Simon Kang, president of LG's display division, which makes plasma displays and flat screen televisions.

Kang said LG expected growth on a revenue basis of about 10 to 12 percent in 2009, much slower than the 20 percent growth expected in 2008.

Kang also said LG expected significant declines in television prices in the second half as falling panel prices allow manufacturers to cut costs while competition heats up.

However, he maintained that LG would not follow bigger rivals Sony and Samsung Electronics into a price war in the key North American market.

"If you compete in the low end you end up damaging your brand and your profitability," Kang said.

09:16 August 14 2008 - waveguide.co.uk

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