Second Series For Derek

Ricky Gervais' comedy Derek has received the green light for another season.

The staff and residents of Broad Hill Retirement Home will return for a second six-part series next year.

The show's creator and star Ricky, who plays care worker Derek Noakes, said: "Derek is probably my favourite thing of everything I've done, so I can't wait to start thinking up some new adventures for the gang."

Phil Clarke, Channel 4's head of comedy said: "I am delighted that Derek is coming back for a second run on Channel 4. It's an original comic vision, brave, funny and touching, with a star performance at its heart. It has already garnered a loyal following."

Karl Pilkington, Kerry Godliman and David Earl also star in Derek, which has been picked up by US streaming network Netflix.

The final episode in the current series will be shown on Channel 4 tomorrow.

March 05 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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BBC Trust To Examine Children's Television Output

The BBC Trust has announced it will examine children's programming across TV and online as part of a review of the BBC services.

It is seeking input from young people and their families to find out how much CBeebies and CBBC are used and how well they serve their young audiences.

The review will also look at changes to children's listening and viewing habits.

BBC Trustee Alison Hastings said: "The Trust is committed to ensuring the BBC continues to provide children with high-quality, home-grown programming, which is educational, entertaining and offers an opportunity to bring families together.

"Since our last review in 2009 there have been many developments to the services the BBC provides. For example, we recently saw children's TV programming move to its dedicated digital home, in line with changing viewing habits."

The public consultation will also assess progress on children's radio, including programming on Radio 4 Extra.

To consider how services will cater to the needs of children under the age of 16, the Trust said it was particularly keen to hear from young people and has set up a questionnaire to enable them to give feedback.

A survey targeted towards parents, carers and those who work with young people will also seek feedback.

The Trust said if the BBC was failing in any area, it would make recommendations and "any necessary amendments" to the licence "to ensure it reflects the future scope of children's services".

The last review of children's services in 2009 found that the BBC was delivering popular content which successfully appealed to a wide audience and made important contributions to the public purposes.

March 05 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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ITV Recommissions Tipping Point

ITV Daytime has commissioned a third series of its afternoon quiz show Tipping Point, presented by Ben Shephard.

Following the success of the first two series of Tipping Point, ITV has commissioned 70 more episodes of the 60 minute programme from RDF Television.

A game of knowledge, skill and tactics, Tipping Point is centred around a machine filled with counters worth thousands of pounds.

Players must answer questions to win turns on the machine. Get a question wrong and the machine won’t pay out resulting in the player with the least amount of money at the end getting eliminated.

The last player standing goes head to head with the Tipping Point machine and they’ll be focused on just one counter – the golden jackpot disc. Again, answering questions for the right to play the machine, they’ll win a big cash sum if they can make it release the jackpot counter.

Commissioning Editor for ITV Factual and Daytime, Diana Howie said: “We are delighted with the continued success of Tipping Point and very much looking forward to further building its status as a key ITV Daytime quiz show.”

March 05 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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MasterChef Gets Tough New Challenge

MasterChef introduces one of the toughest-ever challenges when the show returns next week - with contestants having to recreate a complex dish after simply tasting it.

Viewers will see presenter John Torode making a complicated meal but the culinary hopefuls will have to use just their senses of taste and smell to work out what is in it.

The new "palate test" forms a part of the heat stages - which make a comeback to the series - when MasterChef begins on March 12 on BBC One.

The eight-week series which aims to find the country's top amateur kitchen wizard will have to pass the new trial during the five weeks of heats in order to win through to the quarter-final stages.

The wannabes will have only an hour to recreate the dishes.

Co-host Gregg Wallace said: "The palate test is really difficult - amazingly difficult.

"Even though the contestants have John's dish in front of them it still proves amazingly difficult. One to identify flavours and second, and more importantly, to recreate them."

Over the course of 24 programmes viewers will see 50 contestants battling to win the contest through a series of challenges and cooking for a range of guest judges, including past champions of the show.

During this year's semi-final they will be cooking for 12 former Bond girls at a banquet at London's Savoy..

March 05 2013 - waveguide.co.uk

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