Vernon Kay Hosts New ITV Show

Vernon Kay is to host a new ITV1 sports-meets-entertainment challenge Let's Get Gold this summer.

Over three shows, Let’s Get Gold will pit 15 UK sporting teams against each other as they try to transform their sport into the most spectacular and entertaining routine.

Motivated by a £100,000 prize fund – and judged by a panel of two sports legends and two entertainment stars - the show aims to find amateur and professional groups displaying the best technique, skill and athleticism, but also creativity, style and flair.

Kay said: "With the Olympics just around the corner and sport fever hitting the UK this shows provides the stage for local sporting teams to show off their skills and sporting prowess in breath-taking performances."

Production company Thames' head of entertainment Suzy Lamb said: “In this Olympic year, Let’s Get Gold captures the nation’s mood perfectly, celebrating the UK’s biggest and brightest sporting talents.”

May 08 2012 - waveguide.co.uk

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Call The Midwife Christmas Special

The makers of Call The Midwife will deliver a special Christmas edition of the BBC One show.

The first series was so popular BBC bosses commissioned a second series after just two episodes had been broadcast.

That will screen next year after the special festive episode.

BBC drama controller Ben Stephenson said: "Following its huge success, we simply couldn't resist treating audiences to a Call The Midwife special this year - our Christmas present for all BBC One viewers."

The programmes are based on the memoirs of the late Jennifer Worth.

Executive producer Pippa Harris said: "As the nights draw in and Christmas approaches the residents of Nonnatus House pull together to celebrate the season in their own very special way.

"Christmas celebrates one particular birth, and so it's especially fitting for BBC One to pay a visit to these much-loved characters, whose daily lives revolve around the joys and tribulations of childbirth."

May 08 2012 - waveguide.co.uk

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ITV Committed To Lewis

ITV said today it is "committed" to Inspector Morse spin-off drama Lewis amid claims from its creator the show could be coming to an end.

Author Colin Dexter told the Radio Times he thought ITV would "probably do one more series", adding he did not think the character "can go on much longer".

A sixth series of the drama starring Kevin Whately begins next week.

ITV told the BBC it had already commissioned a seventh series.

Dexter, who works as a consultant on the drama, said: "The agreement is they won't put anything on telly without me seeing it. Sometimes we have to say it's not up to scratch."

The author criticised the first two series of Lewis as being "ridiculously complex", but said later episodes had "got better".

An ITV spokeswoman said: "We have a series of Lewis due on screen later this month and a further series goes into production in June. We remain committed to Lewis."

The new series comprises four new films - The Soul of Genius (written by Rachel Bennette and directed by Brian Kelly), Generation of Vipers (written by Patrick Harbinson and directed by David O’Neill), Fearful Symmetry (written by Russell Lewis and directed by Nick Renton) and The Indelible Stain (written by Simon Block and directed by Tim Fywell).

May 08 2012 - waveguide.co.uk

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New BBC One Crime Drama

Scots actor Douglas Henshall has been cast as the lead role in Shetland, a new two-part drama set in Scotland for BBC One, written by David Kane, adapted from the series of books by crime writer Ann Cleeves.

The murder-mystery is set against the backdrop of the Shetland Isles and centres on Detective Jimmy Perez played by Henshall, a native Shetlander who has returned home after a long spell away.

The two-part drama is executive produced by Elaine Collins for ITV Studios and Christopher Aird for BBC Scotland. Further casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

Douglas Henshall said: "I am very much looking forward to working with David Kane, filming in Scotland and being back on BBC One.”

May 08 2012 - waveguide.co.uk

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