Rove back in the USA

It's probably just as well Rove has been in the States this week, what with some dubious songs that have been the subject of much discussion this week...

Confidential claims the host is back in the USA with manager Kevin Whyte, possibly to discuss further ideas of working there once his contract with TEN ends later this year.

Rove has made two successful guest appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, who is said to be a fan of his work.

McManus has also said he will not give up his Australian show lightly.

Meanwhile there is ongoing jockeying of various "tonight" show roles in the US with David Letterman due to finish up in 2010 and Leno himself having a change of heart about his planned exit in 2009. Read more...

Jana emerging from silence

Jana Wendt is emerging from her notoriously private life, giving a series of select media interviews.

In September Wendt fronted a Queensland Breast Cancer Campaign after research indicated she was recognised by women as being trustworthy.

Tomorrow she has an interview in the Sydney Morning Herald. Will she break her silence on her views on the state of the television industry?

Wendt last appeared on television for Channel Seven's 50th celebrations last year, hot on the heels of quitting the Nine Network over differences on Sunday.

And next month she makes an appearance on TEN's Rove.

The reclusive star will chat to Rove McManus on Sunday November 4.

It will be great to see her back on the screen, if only briefly.

Photo: Sydney Morning Herald. Read more...

Airdate: The Biggest Loser (US)

TEN is set to screen the latest American version of The Biggest Loser.

The fourth series is hosted by Days of Our Lives' Alison Sweeney, as a new batch of contestants compete for $250,000 cash.

A two hour premiere will screen at 8:30pm on Friday November 9.

Bob Harper and Kim Lyons will train the two teams, and as usual there is a twist.

This series launched in the US on September 11.

For those who are really keen, The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now? (US) airs the night before 12am Friday Nov 9 (Thurs night).

Kindly link to this website when sourcing or posting in messageboards, thanks! Read more...

Rod Stewart chats to Denton

Lifelong rocker Rod Stewart is the last coup interview for Andrew Denton.

He will appear on Enough Rope on Monday November 5.

Stewart chats about his early musical influences including Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and even Al Jolson.

The interview was recently recorded in London, when Denton chatted with Helen Mirren, which airs next week.

Press Release:

This week on ENOUGH ROPE Andrew talks to music legend Rod Stewart. In a recent interview conducted in London, an unusually thoughtful Stewart talks about his early musical influences – people like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Bill Haley and surprisingly, Al Jolson.

With such a long and illustrious career, Rod has many tales to share, and confesses the most nervous he has ever been was when he sang for the Queen.

Stewart has stayed in the charts longer than most of his contemporaries, mainly because of the enormous success of his most recent albums featuring romantic standards.

This and more on ENOUGH ROPE – Monday November 5. Read more...

Gotcha Catriona

Candid camera shows are often plagued by stunts that backfire. Only a few weeks ago Marcia Hines was fuming over a stunt tried by Nine's Surprise Surprise Gotcha, and now Getaway's Catriona Rowntree is red-faced after participating in another awry stunt.

Rowntree was trying to fool her one of her co-presenters, Ben Dark, over a lunch that was being subversively filmed by the Nine crew.

But when she left the lunch table leaving Dark alone with a friend, Rowntree got a little more than she had bargained for.

Dark proceeded to bitch about her in her absence. According to the Daily Telegraph he made several derogatory comments about Rowntree, and her working relationship with senior Nine management.

With a microphone recording his every word, Rowntree overheard the whole thing, but had to go back inside to play along. Ouch!
Read more...

Latest Debate info

The ABC will screen the Election Leaders' Debate at 7:30pm on Sunday.

Running for 90 minutes it will result in Rain Shadow and The Abbey not screening this week on the ABC. They will return the following week.

Instead the telemovie Tom Brown's School Days will re-run at 9pm.

Press Release:

The Election Leaders’ Debate will screen on ABC TV on Sunday October 21 at 7.30pm nationally.

This will result in the Australian drama series Rain Shadow and documentary series The Abbey being moved back one week.

The 90-minute debate will be hosted by the National Press Club in the Great Hall of Parliament House. There will be a panel of five journalists, posing questions to both leaders, including ABC Radio Chief Political Correspondent Chris Uhlmann.

Following the debate at 9pm, ABC TV will have a repeat screening of the telemovie Tom Brown’s School Days.

The changes will see Episode 3 of Rain Shadow and episode 2 of The Abbey now screening on Sunday October 28.

The Election Leaders’ Debate will also go live on ABC Local Radio, ABC Newsradio and be streamed on abc.net.au

See also: 60 Minutes, Election Watch

This section updates.
Read more...

Kelly a model employee at Nine

A 24 year old model named Kelly Dahlberg is at the centre of a Nine newsroom backflip which saw her sacked as an assistant only to be reinstated.

Dahlberg's father is a good mate of David Gyngell, says the Daily Telegraph.

It's reporting she was removed from the role in the Sydney newsroom for being too inexperienced. But then there was a change of heart.

"Nine news management is working with Kelly to see if there are any other options available in the network," a spokeswoman said.

There is talk she is now headed for the Today Show. Dahlberg had relocated to Sydney for a work experience role with A Current Affair which it claims she won via normal channels. Read more...