Billie Piper to reprise Who role?

Billie Piper is said to be close to signing a deal that will see her reprise her role as Rose Tyler in the 2008 finale of Doctor Who.

A sum of £20,000 is reportedly on offer for her to appear in a 3-part finale.

The News of the World quotes an insider as saying, "We are all very excited that Billie is on course to come back. We're very close to getting her to sign."

Piper was a big hit with ardent fans of the show when it was reinvented by writer Russell T. Davies.

Source: Digital Spy.
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Why Mondays are such a big Deal

Another Monday. Another big win on Deal or No Deal.

Tonight's $33,000 wasn't the biggest cheque the show has ever given away, and it may not necessarily be the biggest they give away for the rest of this week. But you can bet your briefcase that a Monday show on Deal has a big win.

Tonight, as with last Monday, the last few remaining briefcases in the game show were still the two biggies: $100k and $200k. They were high stakes games right up to the closing stages.

Monday nights are great to give away the big bickies. It hooks viewers in to the week, and helps lead in to the entire prime time schedule for Seven, as well as a few places to plug other Seven shows. Sending people home with $100 bucks on a Monday just doesn't bode well for the rest of the week, really. It's easier to shuffle those eps into another weeknight.

Fortunately for Seven their game show doesn't have carry-over champs, meaning the network can schedule the episodes in any order it prefers. It's a luxury that other shows like Temptation aren't afforded.

Deal is still trouncing Antiques Roadshow on Nine. Last week its audience was anywhere from 26 - 48% higher than Nine's genteel collectible show.

Tonight's winner dealt with the banker a little too early, she could have snared over $80,000. But she still went home happy with $33,000 to help pay for her upcoming wedding. And being a Monday, I'm pretty sure the network went home happy too.
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Vale: Chris Mainwaring

Former West Coast Eagles and Channel Seven sports personality Chris Mainwaring has died.

Mainwaring has been a WA newsreader and sports reporter for the Seven Network since ending his football career in 1999.

He collapsed at his home last night, after tragically declining paramedics assistance, reports say.

Chris Wharton, Managing Director of Seven Perth has said, "This is a say day. We are mourning the death of a colleague and friend. Chris was a tremendous footballer, his record with the West Coast Eagles speaks for itself. He was also a talented member of Seven’s team in Perth. Chris’s death is a tragedy. All of us at Channel Seven Perth and his friends across the Seven Network feel a deep sense of loss. Our heart goes out to Chris’s family."

Mainwaring was 41.

Additional Source: The West.
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Vale: Lois Maxwell

Actress Lois Maxwell has died in Fremantle.

Best known for her role in the Bond films as "Miss Moneypenny", Maxwell was also a regular TV actress including such series as The Adventures of Rainbow Country, The Saint and The Persuaders!

Maxwell died of cancer aged 80.
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Nine storms home

The 2007 NRL Grand Final was huge business for the Nine Network last night snaring 2.38m viewers.

The Melbourne Storm vs Manly match is Nine's biggest audience all year.

It peaked at 2.86m viewers and gave Nine a whopping 40.7% share across the country.

In Sydney 935,000 viewers tuned in, Melbourne had 743,000 viewers and were rewarded with a win by their boys. Brisbane nabbed 568,000 viewers, 95,000 in Adelaide and 89,000 in Perth.

But the huge crowd couldn't top the 2007 AFL Grand Final which won 2.57m viewers out of prime time on Saturday.

Nevertheless, Nine's game will in all likelihood take out the week as the top show, and puts Nine in a strong position to compete with rival Seven for the Week 40 crown.

UPDATE: Adjusted to 2.38m after over-runs.

Ratings Week 40.
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Dexter visiting Oz

Michael C. Hall, who plays the notorious Dexter will visit Australia this month.

Hall, previously in Six Feet Under, plays the serial killer who kills serial killers in the acclaimed Showtime drama.

He will participate in a cinema preview screening and Q+A in Melbourne and Sydney.

The series premieres on the new Showcase channel in December.

Based on Darkly Dreaming Dexter, a novel by Jeff Lindsay, Dexter is one of the most complicated characters ever to grace the small screen. He has a steady girlfriend who adores him, he's the main support for his sister, and a respected member of the Miami Police Department, but he is also a vigilante serial killer who hunts down people who've escaped justice, and ensures they never commit another crime.

Every once and a while a show comes along that is so creepy and so intriguing that you feel compelled to watch. Dexter is one of those shows. The serial killer part will no doubt make some of you squirm, but those who enjoy characters that aren't bad, but aren't totally that good either, will completely (and morbidly) love this new series.

This program includes a screening of the Pilot and second episode from Dexter, and features an on-stage discussion with Actor Michael C. Hall, about his title role.

Melbourne Oct 29. Kino Cinema
Sydney Oct 31. Greater Union Bondi

www.popcorntaxi.com.au
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Ratings Week 40

Saturday:
1 New Tricks ABC 1,329,000
2 Seven News Sat Seven 1,316,000
3 News Saturday Nine 1,225,000
4 ABC News ABC 1,211,000
5 Madagascar Seven 1,140,000
6 Australia’s Funniest Home Videos Nine 1,126,000
7 The Bill ABC 881,000
8 Looney Tunes Nine 829,000
9 Gardening Australia ABC 802,000
10 2007 Rugby World Cup Ten 795,000

Nine: 26.6%
Seven: 25.8%
ABC: 22.1%
Ten: 19.9%
SBS: 5.6%

Friday:
1. Better Homes And Gardens Seven:1,392,000
2. Home And Away Seven: 1,210,000
3. Seven News Seven: 1,208,000
4. Today Tonight Seven: 1,176,000
5. National Nine News Nine: 1,134,000
6. A Current Affair Nine: 1,085,000
7. Temptation Nine: 1,043,000
8. Wire In The Blood ABC 1,026,000
9. Airline Nine: 999,000
10. Airport Nine: 910,000

Seven 31.5%
Nine 24.1%
Ten 19.5%
ABC 19.1%
SBS 5.7%

Thursday:
1. Bionic Woman Seven 1.590
2. Today Tonight Seven 1.311
3. Seven News Seven 1.290
4. Home and Away Seven 1.286
5. Heroes Seven 1.223
6. Sea Patrol Nine 1.204
7. Ghost Whisperer Seven 1.201
8. A Current Affair Nine 1.096
9. Getaway Nine 1.088
10. So You Think You Can Dance Ten 1.084
11. ABC News ABC 1.077
12. Temptation Nine 1.073
13. National Nine News Nine 1.063
14. Law and Order Ten 0.908
15. The 7:30 Report ABC 0.787

Seven: 32.5
Nine: 27.2
Ten: 22.0
ABC: 13.8
SBS: 4.5


Wednesday
1. House Ten 1.553
2. Seven News Seven 1.455
3. Today Tonight Seven 1.436
4. RSPCA Animal Rescue Seven 1.433
5. The Chaser’s War on Everything ABC 1.357
6. Home and Away Seven 1.306
7. Medical Emergency Seven 1.284
8. Spicks and Specks ABC 1.278
9. RPA Nine 1.209
10. Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? Ten 1.179
11. Summer Heights High ABC 1.156
12. National Nine News Nine 1.142
13. Life Ten 1.085
14. Temptation Nine 1.082
15. A Current Affair Nine 1.078

McLeod’s Daughters 1.008m
Prison Break 0.894m
Las Vegas 0.723m
Damages 0.631m

Seven 27.0
Ten 25.6
Nine 23.8
ABC 19.7
SBS 3.8

Tuesday:
1. Dancing with the Stars Seven 1.814
2. Today Tonight Seven 1.392
3. Seven News Seven 1.357
4. Home and Away Seven 1.329
5. All Saints Seven 1.253
6. A Current Affair Nine 1.153
7. National Nine News Nine 1.143
8. ABC News ABC 1.119
9. NCIS Ten 1.073
10. Temptation Nine 1.032
11. The Simpsons – 8:00pm Ten 0.951
12. The Simpsons – 7:30pm Ten 0.944
13. Surprise Surprise Gotcha Nine 0.878
14. Numb3rs Ten 0.847
15. Deal or No Deal Seven 0.805

Seven: 37.6
Nine: 22.3
Ten: 21.5
ABC: 14.0
SBS: 4.7

Monday:
1. Border Security Seven 2.014
2. The Force Seven 1.878
3. City Homicide Seven 1.762
4. Seven News Seven 1.569
5. Today Tonight Seven 1.501
6. Home and Away Seven 1.444
7. National Nine News Nine 1.286
8. A Current Affair Nine 1.286
9. Criminal Minds Seven 1.234
10. ABC News ABC 1.143
11. Temptation Nine 1.119
12. Australian Idol Ten 1.068
13. Law and Order: SVU Ten 0.977
14. Ten News Ten 0.934
15. 1 vs 100 Nine 0.931

Enough Rope 0.928m
Californication 0.839m
Commercial Breakdown 0.733m
Just For Laughs 0.730m
RFDS 0.691m

Seven: 36.3
Nine: 21.1
Ten: 19.5
ABC: 16.8
SBS: 6.3

Sunday:
1. NRL: Grand Final Nine 2.389
2. NRL: Grand Final Presentation Nine 1.575
3. National Nine News Nine 1.574
4. NRL: Grand Final Entertainment Nine 1.566
5. Seven News Seven 1.417
6. Movie: The Pacifier Seven 1.126
7. Australian Idol Ten 1.052
8. Movie: The Haunted Mansion Seven 1.029
9. ABC News ABC 0.870
10. Rove Ten 0.805
11. The Einstein Factor ABC 0.768
12. America’s Next Top Model Ten 0.730
13. Ten News Ten 0.705
14. The Footy Show Nine 0.700
15. Incredible Journeys with Steve Leonard ABC 0.662


Nine 40.7%
Seven 23.3%
Ten 17.8%
ABC 12.6%
SBS 5.6% Read more...

Kylie cuts confronting doco scenes

Kylie Minogue has cut several scenes from her upcoming TV documentary White Diamond shot by her stylist and close pal, William Baker, because they were too confronting.

A source has said, "In one of the cut scenes Kylie's boobs are on display as she gets undressed. No scarring is visible because she had clever reconstructive surgery after the partial mastectomy to remove her cancer. But she was extremely unhappy about its inclusion in the final edit so it got chopped."

In another scene she was on the phone to Olivier saying, 'You said you were coming', before breaking down in tears. She later shouts to him tearfully, but the scenes reportedly do not fit the image Minogue prefers to portray and were removed.

White Diamond premieres in the UK on October 16 and has a one-night cinema screening in Australia on October 19.

Source: Digital Spy.
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