There's only one place to start today's blog. Johnny Lydon on The ONE Show on Monday night. Yer actual Keith Telly Topping has, quite literally, seen everything now, dear blog reader! Did we fight The Punk Wars for this, John? I admire your Anchor Butter adverts as much as the next man but you were in a TV studio with Alex Jones and you didn't ridicule her ludicrous accent. I mean, that's just not trying hard enough.
Here's the Top Twenty Four TV Shows week ending 20 February 2011:
1 Coronation Street - ITV Mon - 11.78
2 EastEnders - BBC1 Thurs - 10.14
3 Emmerdale - ITV Thurs - 8.81
4 Big Fat Gypsy Weddings - C4 Tues - 8.05
5 Twatting About On Ice - ITV Sun - 8.04
6 Let's Dance For Comic Relief - BBC1 Sat - 7.98
7 South Riding - BBC1 Sun - 7.70
8 Wild At Heart - ITV Sun - 6.99
9 Casualty - BBC1 Sat - 6.97
10 Marchlands - ITV Thurs - 6.48
11 Countryfile - BBC1 Sun - 6.34
12 Antiques Roadshow - BBC1 Sun - 6.27
13 UEFA Champions League Live - ITV Wed - 6.25
14 The National Lottery: Secret Fortune - BBC1 Sat - 6.19
15 Hustle - BBC1 Fri - 6.16
16 Holby City - BBC1 Tues - 5.89
17 Top Gear - BBC2 Sun - 5.88
18 MasterChef - BBC1 Wed - 5.49
19 BBC News - BBC1 Sun - 5.41
20= Waterloo Road - BBC1 Wed - 5.29
20= FA Cup - ITV Sat - 5.29
22 The ONE Show - BBC1 Wed - 5.10
23 Human Planet - BBC1 Thurs - 4.80
24 The Brit Awards 2011 - ITV Tues - 4.79
On Tuesday, BBC News channel head Kevin Bakhurst tweeted that so far in 2011 BBC Breakfast has averaged an audience of 1.58 million viewers per day (up one hundred and six thousand on same period last year) and Daybreak has averaged a meagre six hundred and thirteen thousand, down one hundred and seventy one thousand viewers on GMTV's average daily audience during the same period last year. Certainly Daybreak's audience is showing none of the green shoots of recovery that ITV were boasting about a few weeks ago, its audiences last week ranging from a high of seven hundred and twenty one thousand of Friday to a miserable low of just six hundred and twenty five thousand on Wednesday. Similarly, its Appreciation Index scores remain hovering around the sixty six to sixty eight range, well below even average, let alone 'good.'
Paddy McGuinness and Charlotte Jackson will host a second series of ITV's 71 Degrees North, it has been announced. The show, which saw a group of alleged celebrities competing to reach the freezing North Cape in Norway, will return for an eight-episode run without presenting duo Kate Thornton and Gethin Jones. 'It's very flattering to be part of the ITV family,' Take Me Out host McGuinness said. 'Ant and Dec get to spend time in sunny Australia, Dermot O'Leary fronts the biggest show on television and Phil [Schofield] and Holly [Willoughby] enjoy a lovely day time gig by the Thames. What do I get? A month in the Arctic Circle! Let the frost, see the bite!' Sky Sports presenter Jackson, who recently hit the headlines for her minor part in the Richard Keys and Andy Gray sexism storm, added: 'It's going to be very cold but great fun.
I am hugely excited to be a part of the new series.' The Sun claims that Loose Women host Thornton is believed to have stepped down from the role in order to 'focus on being a single mum,' prompting bosses to look for a new-look team. 'Due to the change in my circumstances at home I was unable to travel to the Arctic. But I wish Paddy, Charlotte and the team the very best of luck,' Thornton said. 'I can't wait to catch the show in the warmth and comfort of my living room!' A show source commented: 'Without Kate, producers decided to go for a new presenting team. Gethin is busy recording a pilot for a new game show for ITV.' Writing on Twitter, Jackson confirm that she and McGuinness are beginning to film the new series this week. 'Day one of filming 71 Degrees North - early start and never put so many layers on! Very excited though! [sic]' she said. 'Myself and Paddy Mcguiness [sic] will be meeting the ten celebs today!' The paper claims that the celebrities taking part in the show will include John Thompson, Martin Kemp and presenter Angellica Bell.
Peter Andre has likened his new show to a modern version of Jim'll Fix It. It was recently confirmed that the singer will present Here to Help on ITV2, in which he will aim to 'give something back' by helping to solve people's problems. Presumably that'll be all of those problems which Peaches Geldof hasn't been able to solve in her new ITV2 show. ITV2, ladies and gentlemen, the channel that helps those that can't help themselves. 'I've had such amazing support from my fans since my divorce and now I want to repay the favour and help others in need,' he wrote in New magazine. 'I'm going to be a bit like an agony uncle who solves people's problems and helps them to achieve their dreams. For anyone who used to watch Jim'll Fix It, it'll be a bit like a modern-day version of that.' So, lots of bling and Peter Andre with small boys on his knee. Hmm ... This has some potential. He added: 'I can't wait to get started. I've got lots of TV stuff going on at the moment and it's really exciting.'
Marg Helgenberger has revealed that she may return to CSI in a recurring role next season. The actress, who plays Catherine Willows, first announced her plans to exit the series in July last year.
However, she recently told People: 'We're talking maybe doing a few episodes [next year].' She continued: 'The older you get, the more comfortable you become with who you are and who you are continuing to become. I'm looking forward to the next chapter.' Helgenberger has yet to finalise a new deal with the CBS series and it is currently unclear how many episodes of the show's twelfth season she will appear in, if any.
Donal Logue has signed up to play a guest role on FOX's House. TV Line reports that the actor will play a new patient at Princeton-Plainsboro in the current season's twentieth episode. The episode will also see Candice Bergen reprise her role as Cuddy's mother, Arlene. Logue recently played Hank Dolworth in the cancelled FX series Terriers and previously starred in NBC cop drama Life. He has also appeared in episodes of Monk, Damages and ER. The actor's film credits include 2007's Ghost Rider, 2008's Max Payne and last year's Zac Efron drama The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud.
Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton has become the first person to high-wire walk between the chimneys of Battersea Power Station. The twenty seven-year-old completed her challenge in aid of Red Nose Day 2011 at shortly after twenty past ten on Monday morning. Skelton spent fourteen minutes walking across the one hundred and fifty metre wire, sixty six metres above the ground. By completing the walk, Skelton has also set a new record for the highest wire walk by a female in the UK. 'I'm so proud of myself for managing to keep my nerves in check and not wobbling on the wire,' she said upon completion.
'There were a few hairy moments when I had to stop myself from looking down and concentrate on the end of the wire. 'I can't lie, I was incredibly nervous staring over the edge waiting to begin but as soon as I stepped off it was an amazing rush. It was really windy and my eyes were fogging up towards the end. The training has been tough and I have never had so many bruises in my life but it has been totally worth it. The fact that I'm doing it in support of Red Nose Day was a great incentive throughout the whole experience,' she added. 'I really hope my challenge today will inspire others to do a fundraising activity this Red Nose Day and help raise money that will change lives forever.'
Josh Holloway may be appearing on Community, it has been reported. According to Entertainment Weekly, the former Lost heartthrob is in negotiations to guest star in Community's two-part season finale. Holloway's character will reportedly make an appearance during yet another game of paintball at the community college. The episode is described as a sequel to last year's episode Modern Warfare.
Showtime has renewed Episodes and the US version of Shameless for second seasons, the cable network has announced. Episodes, a co-production between Showtime Networks in the US and the BBC, was renewed with the number of episodes to be determined at a later date.
Comedy drama Shameless was picked up for twelve season two episodes. 'The viewer loyalty and critical acclaim that has met both Shameless and Episodes since their January debuts makes it clear that these two brash and sophisticated series are burgeoning hits,' said Showtime President of Entertainment David Nevins. He added: '[Shameless producer] John Wells is carving out a tone that is truly unique in the television landscape - equal parts drama and comedy. And Episodes marks the universally embraced and hilarious return to television of an inspired comedy triumvirate: Matt LeBlanc, and creators Jeffrey Klarik and David Crane. We are thrilled with the response to both series and eager to start planning for their second seasons.'
Sky is reportedly planning to shut down its Sky Sports and Sky Movies customer magazines, as well as reduce the frequency of its flagship Sky title. Launched in early 2007 and published every two months, Sky Sports and Sky Movies currently have a combined circulation of almost eight million copies. According to MediaWeek, Sky intends to replace the two print titles from August with a new weekly e-mail sent to its subscribers, providing programme highlights and links to editorial content.
Sky is also understood to be planning to reduce the distribution of its flagship Sky magazine, the UK's largest circulation monthly at an average of 7.3m copies. Under the plans, Sky magazine will be slashed from twelve issues per year to just four, one for each quarter. A Sky source said that the new magazines strategy represents 'a more efficient way to stay in touch with Sky homes,' largely because digital communication 'offers more immediacy, engagement and interaction.' The move is also in response to an increase in the cost of magazine production, including a rise in paper prices and an upcoming hike to bulk mail prices at the Royal Mail. It is thought that at least twenty jobs are at risk from the changes, but around twelve positions could be saved by shifting over to the new digital services. Sky and Sky Sports magazine are produced in-house, while the Sky Movies title is produced by commercial publisher Future. Last December, Sky launched a new Sky+ app for Apple's iPad, enabling users to browse editorialised programme listings, as well as set recordings from anywhere in the world.
Twatting About On Ice judge Jason Gardiner has hit out at the public for continuing to keep Denise Welch and Johnson Beharry in the skating competition. Gardiner's comments came after Laura Hamilton and Vanilla Ice ended up in the skate-off on Sunday night, with the rapper eventually exiting the ITV show. 'It's soul destroying,' Gardiner told the Sun. 'It does a real disservice to the competition. It really angers me that people like Denise and Johnson are getting through on sympathy votes or popularity when we're losing someone who really should not have left. It's a crying shame he did. He's so much better than those two.' He continued: 'If viewers want a lacklustre, mediocre, less-than-average final, they should keep voting for Johnson and Denise. This is where it gets heartbreaking for us. It's frustrating when we don't want either of them to go.' Gardiner called on the public to support Hamilton as a rival to former EastEnders actor Sam Attwater: 'If we lost her we'd end up with a clear front-runner, Sam,' he said. 'I don't want that - I want them neck-and-neck all the way to the final. It will be thrilling.'
MasterChef has continued its global expansion around the world with Shine International selling the brand into Malaysia and the Philippines. The distribution arm has sold the rights for a local adaptation for Malaysia and Brunei to the media group Astro All Asia Entertainment, while the Philippines' largest integrated media company, ABS-CBN, will also broadcast a local version of MasterChef. Astro is planning to make the format its largest local production in 2011, with shooting beginning in April. Laurenti Dyogi, business unit head for MasterChef at ABS-CBN, said:
'MasterChef has the potential of revolutionising and changing the landscape of Philippine television.' These two sales take the number of locally produced versions of the popular cookery show to twenty; other territories include the massive ratings bohemeth in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States. There are now three Asian territories with the rights – the first Indian series has just bowed out with 18.2m viewers tuning in for the finale. The new deals were brokered by Cyrus Farrokh, who has been promoted to director of international distribution for Asia. Chris Grant, president of Shine International, said: 'Following MasterChef's success in India, we're thrilled to bring this format to its third Asian country, proving once again the universal appeal of this hit culinary format.'
Spartacus: Blood & Snots showrunner Steven S DeKnight has promised that the show's second season will be 'epic' in scale. He told Entertainment Weekly that the new run will expand on events in the first season and hinted at a number of character deaths. 'In true Spartacus fashion, nothing will be easy for our heroes and villains,' he claimed. 'The scope and scale we are attempting is much larger than anything we have done before. And I'm guessing a few beloved characters may die.' DeKnight also confirmed that Gannicus (played by Dustin Clare) will appear in the new season, having survived the events of prequel series Gods of the Arena. 'Gannicus is one of Spartacus's generals in the actual war,' he explained. 'Our original plan was always to introduce Gannicus into [the main] storyline. We will set him up to at some point come back [but] he won't pop up immediately.' He added that the series could run for a total of 'anywhere from three to six seasons. One [issue] is budget,' he said. 'The show gets more expensive each season. The other is ratings. Budget is not a small part of it. As the gladiator war continues and Spartacus's army grows, it becomes more difficult to produce on a TV budget.'
The BBC has announced a new documentary about dinosaurs using 3D graphics and CGI, ten years after its successful Walking With Dinosaurs series. Planet Dinosaur, due to be broadcast on BBC1, focuses on the less well-known dinosaurs, including Spinosaurus, the biggest killer to ever walk the Earth, and the immense sea monster Predator X.
The three-part series will combine a 3D graphical world, computer imagery and photo-realistic fight scenes to give a 'whole new perspective on dinosaurs.' To accompany the series, BBC4 will take a look at the story of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals in three new programmes - How to Build a Dinosaur, Survivors and Dinosaurs, Myths And Monsters. Three-part series How To Build a Dinosaur, presented by anatomist Dr Alice Roberts, guides viewers through the construction of a new dinosaur exhibition at the Natural History Museum, right from the raw bones to the final skeleton. Hour-long documentary Survivors features professor Richard Fortey of the museum investigating what enables one species to survive, while another dies out. Dinosaurs, Myths And Monsters tells the story of the discovery of dinosaurs, including how the ideas, explanations and philosophies have altered over time. Kim Shillinglaw, commissioner of science and natural history, said: 'We're living in a golden of dinosaur discoveries - this is a fantastic time for us to use the latest technology to bring to life a new variety of dinosaurs for a new generation.' The dinosaurs season, scheduled to air later this year, will be supported by online, learning and interactive initiatives from BBC Online.
Hollyoaks producers have announced that a forthcoming edition of the soap will feature a tie-in with Heat magazine.
In an episode due to be broadcast later this month, the soap's characters will be excited to learn that the publication's team are paying a visit to the village because they want Riley Costello (Rob Norbury) to appear as their Torso of the Week. While Riley's mum, Heidi, is thrilled to learn of her son's modelling success, the footballer has other things on his mind - meaning that Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) is lined-up to take his place. However, the magazine's team soon spot another local resident who they think would work perfectly.
Al Murray is taking his pub quiz Compete For The Meat to digital channel Dave. The broadcaster has commissioned eight hour-long episodes of the 'anarchic' pub quiz, which has previously been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. The show will debut on Dave in a 10pm slot from mid-May. Jane Rogerson, director of commissioning at Dave's parent company UKTV, said:
'Al Murray is one of comedy's greats and I'm delighted that we've been able to secure such an innovative and funny show for Dave.' Richard Allen-Turner, of makers Avalon Television, added: 'We have all the ingredients for a cracking entertainment series – one of the county's most loved comics, an excellent broadcasting channel and above all, a frozen chicken as top prize.' Al Murray's Compete For The Meat will be produced by Matt Nida, who previously worked on Big Fat Quiz of the Year for Channel Four and directed by Brian Klein, whose credits include Top Gear.
Colin Firth reportedly almost lost his Oscar when he left the trophy on the top of a toilet. According to the Mirra, Firth was 'so shocked by his win' that he accidentally left his Oscar in the bathroom.
Fortunately, the statue was discovered by a cloakroom attendant who returned it to the actor. However, Firth was not the only one that was excited by his win in the 'Best Actor' category. 'Everyone was trying to buy him drinks. He may be fifty but he knows how to party and was determined to make the most of the occasion,' said a source.
Channel Four plans to 'fling open its doors' to small, first-time and regional producers after admitting its supplier base has become too narrow according to Broadcast. The shake-up will see the introduction of an 'open-door' policy enabling access to commissioners. It will be led by chief creative officer Jay Hunt, who will personally host twelve independent production company surgeries a year, including six outside of London. In addition, heads of departments and some commissioning editors will visit two cities with established production communities each year. Department heads will also undertake to work with at least one new producer and one new piece of talent a year, and will be tasked with mentoring an emerging independent. The initiative is about improving geographical diversity and reconnecting with smaller companies, as well as reasserting C4's traditionally close relationship with the indepdendent sector. It is partly the result of feedback from a Channel Four supplier survey commissioned last year and carried out by consultant Mark Atkin. Director of creative diversity Stuart Cosgrove said one of the key messages revealed by the research was 'don't become besotted by your top ten indies.' In responding to the survey, independent producers demanded greater access to commissioning editors and for C4 to be more adventurous in the way it engages with companies. 'The point the survey made was: always make room in the C4 system for the new, the different and the challenging,' Cosgrove said. Hunt said that she was determined the scheme would have an impact on C4's output. She said daytime and 11pm could get more investment as part of the scheme, but it was not a case of 'simply providing for the outer reaches of the schedule. These are not meetings for meeting's sake,' she said. 'The expectation is that we get a greater range of ideas, and some of those will get to air. We want suppliers to be providing for all parts of the schedule. Clearly, a number of superindies are responsible for some of our biggest shows and they are very important relationships to us. But we still have room for different sorts of suppliers from all around the country. I think it is important to signal that we have an open door.' According to Broadcast, the 'charm offensive' follows an acknowledgement of the issue by chief executive David Abraham at the Salford Nations & Regions Media Conference in January. He said at the time: 'I think it's fair to say that in recent years we may have become too reliant on too narrow a range of companies.' The range of measures will also look to re-engage with indies that have supplied C4 in the past but have not done so for a period of time.
Joanna Lumley believes that 'young people' today are 'being led into a false paradise.' In an interview with the Radio Times, the Absolutely Fabulous actress said that she worries children believe that theft, plagiarism and playing truant are acceptable. 'Nowadays, children find it laughably amusing to shoplift and steal,' she said.
'We allow them to bunk off school and bring in sicknotes. There was one "crime" during the whole time I was at school, when a fountain pen went missing. Stealing just didn't happen. We smile when they download information from the Internet and lazily present it as their own work. We're leading our children into a false paradise.' The actress and political campaigner compared young people in the UK with those she had met filming documentaries abroad, saying that she had seen some children taking on great responsibility. She continued: 'In Ethiopia you might find a seven-year-old expected to take fifteen goats out into the fields for the whole day with only a chapati to eat and his whistle.' They're expected to eat whistles? Well, that's abuse, surely? 'Why are we so afraid to give our children responsibilities like this?' Lumley added that she would like to see children spending less time on the Internet and instead taking part in outdoor pursuits like camping or working on farms. Or, up a chimney. Or something.
In the latest political retreat by the Government, controversial parts of the so-called 'bonfire of the quangos' bill have been dropped. The Public Bodies Bill has been proposed by the Coalition to allow ministers to abolish almost two hundred0 public bodies including the Audit Commission and the Film Council. It would also give ministers extensive new legal powers to order changes to another one hundred and fifty public bodies using secondary legislation, meaning they could be abolished without further parliamentary approval.
Such powers are often called 'Henry VIII powers' in reference to the Tudor monarch's autocratic rule. But the measures proposed were opposed by peers, who argued that they would give ministers too much power. Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice, last year attacked the plan as 'extraordinary' and suggested it could undermine the independence of the judiciary. The list of bodies that would be made vulnerable to abolition by order was included in schedule seven of the bill. Lord Taylor of Holbeach, a Government Whip, told the Lords that the controversial schedule has now been abandoned. 'It is has become clear during the passage of this Bill to date that this House is uncomfortable with the nature of schedule seven.'
Iran has reportedly threatened to boycott the London Olympics in 2012 over claims that the logo spells out the word 'Zion.' According to the Gruniad Morning Star, a formal complaint has been lodged with the International Olympic Committee calling for the image to be changed and its designers 'confronted.'
Zion is the Hebrew term used in biblical sources to refer to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. After the revolution of 1979, Iran severed all ties with Israel. An announcement from the state-backed Iranian Students News Agency read: 'As Internet documents have proved, using the word Zion in the logo of the 2012 Olympic Games is a disgracing action and against the Olympics' valuable mottos. There is no doubt that negligence of the issue from your side may affect the presence of some countries in the Games, especially Iran which abides by commitment to the values and principles.' Mad. As. Toast. An IOC official confirmed receipt of the letter from Iran but countered: 'The London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else.'
Former Hollywood actress and sex symbol Jane Russell has died the age of eighty nine. The brunette was discovered by eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, who cast her in his 1943 Western The Outlaw. Some of her most memorable parts include the The Paleface (1948) with Bob Hope, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) with Marilyn Monroe. She died on Monday at her home in California of a respiratory-related illness, her daughter-in-law confirmed.
'She always said I'm going to die in the saddle, I'm not going to sit at home and become an old woman. And that's exactly what she did, she died in the saddle,' Etta Waterfield said, recounting that Russell had remained active in her local community until illness intervened in recent weeks. Russell was a pin-up girl in the 1940s and 1950s, but her film career had faded by the 1960s. 'Why did I quit movies? Because I was getting too old! You couldn't go on acting in those years if you were an actress over thirty,' she said in an interview in 1999. In 1971, she featured in the Broadway musical Company. Later, she appeared in TV commercials promoting brassieres, including the eighteen-hour bra for Playtex. Russell married three times and adopted three children. After experiencing problems during the adoption process, she founded the World Adoption International Agency, which has helped to organise the adoptions in the US of tens of thousands of children from overseas. 'Mean, moody and magnificent' was the publicity description given to Jane Russell for her Hollywood debut in The Outlaw. She brought new meaning to the word 'cleavage' but she was also a talented actress, though it was her sex bomb image that made her a star. She was born in Minnesota, the only daughter of an army lieutenant and a travelling actress. Shouting to be heard amongst her four brothers, young Jane was interested in the stage from an early age. Working to help her family after her father's death, Jane found her voluptuous figure enabled her to do some modelling on the side. With the encouragement of her mother, she saved enough money to go to drama school. It was Jane's thirty eight-inch bust line that came to the attention of Howard Hughes, the breast-obsessed millionaire who used his knowledge of aerodynamics to design a special bra for the nineteen year old. 
Hughes was conducting a nationwide 'chest hunt' for a leading female role in The Outlaw. Made in 1941, it wasn't released until two years later and then only on a limited basis. Censorship finally gave the go-ahead for its general release in 1946. It was a smash at the box office. The film produced much vulgar publicity for Russell. She had signed a seven year contract with Hughes and most of the films he produced showed Jane in a light that typically exploited her body. Movies like the 1951 His Kind of Woman with Robert Mitchum and Johnny Reno did little to showcase her true acting ability. In the mid-1950s, she formed Russ-Field Productions with her first husband Bob Waterfield, the star of the Cleveland Rams football team, but this did not substantially improve her box office appeal. She married three times. Her second husband, the actor Roger Barrett, died less then three months into their marriage from a heart-attack. Her third husband was a real estate agent, John Calvin Peoples. In February 1952, she and Waterfield adopted a baby girl, Tracy. In December 1952, they adopted a fifteen-month-old boy, Thomas and in 1956 they adopted nine-month-old Robert John. According to Jane herself, due to back street abortions early in her career she was unable to have children. At the height of her career, Russell started the 'Hollywood Christian Group,' a weekly Bible study at her home which was arranged for Christians in the film industry. She was, at times, a prominent Republican Party member who attended president Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. She has described her struggles with alcoholism, commenting in her later life: 
'These days I am a tee-total, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot. But not a racist!' She is survived by her three children, six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. According to the ever reliable Wikipedia, a keen bagpipe player, Russell once suggested to Paul McCartney that she play on Wings' hit single 'Mull of Kintyre.' McCartney 'declined the offer as Russell did not possess a valid work visa for the UK at the time.' Yer Keith Telly Topping is pretty sure that's not even remotely true (although it hasn't stopped Channel Four News website from repeating part of the story). But, it really should be!
Duran Duran will celebrate their thirtieth year in the music industry in a one-off ITV special, it has been announced. The group will take to the stage in ITV's London Studios in front of a live audience in Duran Duran: One Night Only. Hosted by Christine Bleakley, the show promises to offer a rare insight into the 80's icons when it is broadcast later this month. 'We are very excited to be a part of the One Night Only series - as we really like the format of the programme,' singer Simon Le Bon-Bon said.
'We always enjoy performing in front of a live audience and this show will be the first opportunity for us to play a number of songs from the new album. We've spent the last couple of weeks in our rehearsal room working on the arrangements for all the new material and we are looking forward to the show very much.' John Kaye Cooper, Controller of Entertainment for the broadcaster, added: 'It will be a real treat for ITV viewers to see one of Britain's most iconic and successful bands of the 80's celebrating their musical milestone.'
After that, you might expect today's Keith Telly Topping's 45(s) of the Day to be 'Planet Earth' and 'Rio.' But, instead, we have a small exercise in that old game 'same riff, different song.' To wit this
Here's the Top Twenty Four TV Shows week ending 20 February 2011:
1 Coronation Street - ITV Mon - 11.78
2 EastEnders - BBC1 Thurs - 10.14
3 Emmerdale - ITV Thurs - 8.814 Big Fat Gypsy Weddings - C4 Tues - 8.05
5 Twatting About On Ice - ITV Sun - 8.04
6 Let's Dance For Comic Relief - BBC1 Sat - 7.98
7 South Riding - BBC1 Sun - 7.70
8 Wild At Heart - ITV Sun - 6.99
9 Casualty - BBC1 Sat - 6.97
10 Marchlands - ITV Thurs - 6.48
11 Countryfile - BBC1 Sun - 6.34
12 Antiques Roadshow - BBC1 Sun - 6.27
13 UEFA Champions League Live - ITV Wed - 6.25
14 The National Lottery: Secret Fortune - BBC1 Sat - 6.19
15 Hustle - BBC1 Fri - 6.16
16 Holby City - BBC1 Tues - 5.89
17 Top Gear - BBC2 Sun - 5.88
18 MasterChef - BBC1 Wed - 5.49
19 BBC News - BBC1 Sun - 5.41
20= Waterloo Road - BBC1 Wed - 5.29
20= FA Cup - ITV Sat - 5.29
22 The ONE Show - BBC1 Wed - 5.10
23 Human Planet - BBC1 Thurs - 4.80
24 The Brit Awards 2011 - ITV Tues - 4.79
On Tuesday, BBC News channel head Kevin Bakhurst tweeted that so far in 2011 BBC Breakfast has averaged an audience of 1.58 million viewers per day (up one hundred and six thousand on same period last year) and Daybreak has averaged a meagre six hundred and thirteen thousand, down one hundred and seventy one thousand viewers on GMTV's average daily audience during the same period last year. Certainly Daybreak's audience is showing none of the green shoots of recovery that ITV were boasting about a few weeks ago, its audiences last week ranging from a high of seven hundred and twenty one thousand of Friday to a miserable low of just six hundred and twenty five thousand on Wednesday. Similarly, its Appreciation Index scores remain hovering around the sixty six to sixty eight range, well below even average, let alone 'good.'
Paddy McGuinness and Charlotte Jackson will host a second series of ITV's 71 Degrees North, it has been announced. The show, which saw a group of alleged celebrities competing to reach the freezing North Cape in Norway, will return for an eight-episode run without presenting duo Kate Thornton and Gethin Jones. 'It's very flattering to be part of the ITV family,' Take Me Out host McGuinness said. 'Ant and Dec get to spend time in sunny Australia, Dermot O'Leary fronts the biggest show on television and Phil [Schofield] and Holly [Willoughby] enjoy a lovely day time gig by the Thames. What do I get? A month in the Arctic Circle! Let the frost, see the bite!' Sky Sports presenter Jackson, who recently hit the headlines for her minor part in the Richard Keys and Andy Gray sexism storm, added: 'It's going to be very cold but great fun.
I am hugely excited to be a part of the new series.' The Sun claims that Loose Women host Thornton is believed to have stepped down from the role in order to 'focus on being a single mum,' prompting bosses to look for a new-look team. 'Due to the change in my circumstances at home I was unable to travel to the Arctic. But I wish Paddy, Charlotte and the team the very best of luck,' Thornton said. 'I can't wait to catch the show in the warmth and comfort of my living room!' A show source commented: 'Without Kate, producers decided to go for a new presenting team. Gethin is busy recording a pilot for a new game show for ITV.' Writing on Twitter, Jackson confirm that she and McGuinness are beginning to film the new series this week. 'Day one of filming 71 Degrees North - early start and never put so many layers on! Very excited though! [sic]' she said. 'Myself and Paddy Mcguiness [sic] will be meeting the ten celebs today!' The paper claims that the celebrities taking part in the show will include John Thompson, Martin Kemp and presenter Angellica Bell.Peter Andre has likened his new show to a modern version of Jim'll Fix It. It was recently confirmed that the singer will present Here to Help on ITV2, in which he will aim to 'give something back' by helping to solve people's problems. Presumably that'll be all of those problems which Peaches Geldof hasn't been able to solve in her new ITV2 show. ITV2, ladies and gentlemen, the channel that helps those that can't help themselves. 'I've had such amazing support from my fans since my divorce and now I want to repay the favour and help others in need,' he wrote in New magazine. 'I'm going to be a bit like an agony uncle who solves people's problems and helps them to achieve their dreams. For anyone who used to watch Jim'll Fix It, it'll be a bit like a modern-day version of that.' So, lots of bling and Peter Andre with small boys on his knee. Hmm ... This has some potential. He added: 'I can't wait to get started. I've got lots of TV stuff going on at the moment and it's really exciting.'
Marg Helgenberger has revealed that she may return to CSI in a recurring role next season. The actress, who plays Catherine Willows, first announced her plans to exit the series in July last year.
However, she recently told People: 'We're talking maybe doing a few episodes [next year].' She continued: 'The older you get, the more comfortable you become with who you are and who you are continuing to become. I'm looking forward to the next chapter.' Helgenberger has yet to finalise a new deal with the CBS series and it is currently unclear how many episodes of the show's twelfth season she will appear in, if any.Donal Logue has signed up to play a guest role on FOX's House. TV Line reports that the actor will play a new patient at Princeton-Plainsboro in the current season's twentieth episode. The episode will also see Candice Bergen reprise her role as Cuddy's mother, Arlene. Logue recently played Hank Dolworth in the cancelled FX series Terriers and previously starred in NBC cop drama Life. He has also appeared in episodes of Monk, Damages and ER. The actor's film credits include 2007's Ghost Rider, 2008's Max Payne and last year's Zac Efron drama The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud.
Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton has become the first person to high-wire walk between the chimneys of Battersea Power Station. The twenty seven-year-old completed her challenge in aid of Red Nose Day 2011 at shortly after twenty past ten on Monday morning. Skelton spent fourteen minutes walking across the one hundred and fifty metre wire, sixty six metres above the ground. By completing the walk, Skelton has also set a new record for the highest wire walk by a female in the UK. 'I'm so proud of myself for managing to keep my nerves in check and not wobbling on the wire,' she said upon completion.
'There were a few hairy moments when I had to stop myself from looking down and concentrate on the end of the wire. 'I can't lie, I was incredibly nervous staring over the edge waiting to begin but as soon as I stepped off it was an amazing rush. It was really windy and my eyes were fogging up towards the end. The training has been tough and I have never had so many bruises in my life but it has been totally worth it. The fact that I'm doing it in support of Red Nose Day was a great incentive throughout the whole experience,' she added. 'I really hope my challenge today will inspire others to do a fundraising activity this Red Nose Day and help raise money that will change lives forever.'Josh Holloway may be appearing on Community, it has been reported. According to Entertainment Weekly, the former Lost heartthrob is in negotiations to guest star in Community's two-part season finale. Holloway's character will reportedly make an appearance during yet another game of paintball at the community college. The episode is described as a sequel to last year's episode Modern Warfare.
Showtime has renewed Episodes and the US version of Shameless for second seasons, the cable network has announced. Episodes, a co-production between Showtime Networks in the US and the BBC, was renewed with the number of episodes to be determined at a later date.
Comedy drama Shameless was picked up for twelve season two episodes. 'The viewer loyalty and critical acclaim that has met both Shameless and Episodes since their January debuts makes it clear that these two brash and sophisticated series are burgeoning hits,' said Showtime President of Entertainment David Nevins. He added: '[Shameless producer] John Wells is carving out a tone that is truly unique in the television landscape - equal parts drama and comedy. And Episodes marks the universally embraced and hilarious return to television of an inspired comedy triumvirate: Matt LeBlanc, and creators Jeffrey Klarik and David Crane. We are thrilled with the response to both series and eager to start planning for their second seasons.'Sky is reportedly planning to shut down its Sky Sports and Sky Movies customer magazines, as well as reduce the frequency of its flagship Sky title. Launched in early 2007 and published every two months, Sky Sports and Sky Movies currently have a combined circulation of almost eight million copies. According to MediaWeek, Sky intends to replace the two print titles from August with a new weekly e-mail sent to its subscribers, providing programme highlights and links to editorial content.
Sky is also understood to be planning to reduce the distribution of its flagship Sky magazine, the UK's largest circulation monthly at an average of 7.3m copies. Under the plans, Sky magazine will be slashed from twelve issues per year to just four, one for each quarter. A Sky source said that the new magazines strategy represents 'a more efficient way to stay in touch with Sky homes,' largely because digital communication 'offers more immediacy, engagement and interaction.' The move is also in response to an increase in the cost of magazine production, including a rise in paper prices and an upcoming hike to bulk mail prices at the Royal Mail. It is thought that at least twenty jobs are at risk from the changes, but around twelve positions could be saved by shifting over to the new digital services. Sky and Sky Sports magazine are produced in-house, while the Sky Movies title is produced by commercial publisher Future. Last December, Sky launched a new Sky+ app for Apple's iPad, enabling users to browse editorialised programme listings, as well as set recordings from anywhere in the world.Twatting About On Ice judge Jason Gardiner has hit out at the public for continuing to keep Denise Welch and Johnson Beharry in the skating competition. Gardiner's comments came after Laura Hamilton and Vanilla Ice ended up in the skate-off on Sunday night, with the rapper eventually exiting the ITV show. 'It's soul destroying,' Gardiner told the Sun. 'It does a real disservice to the competition. It really angers me that people like Denise and Johnson are getting through on sympathy votes or popularity when we're losing someone who really should not have left. It's a crying shame he did. He's so much better than those two.' He continued: 'If viewers want a lacklustre, mediocre, less-than-average final, they should keep voting for Johnson and Denise. This is where it gets heartbreaking for us. It's frustrating when we don't want either of them to go.' Gardiner called on the public to support Hamilton as a rival to former EastEnders actor Sam Attwater: 'If we lost her we'd end up with a clear front-runner, Sam,' he said. 'I don't want that - I want them neck-and-neck all the way to the final. It will be thrilling.'
MasterChef has continued its global expansion around the world with Shine International selling the brand into Malaysia and the Philippines. The distribution arm has sold the rights for a local adaptation for Malaysia and Brunei to the media group Astro All Asia Entertainment, while the Philippines' largest integrated media company, ABS-CBN, will also broadcast a local version of MasterChef. Astro is planning to make the format its largest local production in 2011, with shooting beginning in April. Laurenti Dyogi, business unit head for MasterChef at ABS-CBN, said:
'MasterChef has the potential of revolutionising and changing the landscape of Philippine television.' These two sales take the number of locally produced versions of the popular cookery show to twenty; other territories include the massive ratings bohemeth in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States. There are now three Asian territories with the rights – the first Indian series has just bowed out with 18.2m viewers tuning in for the finale. The new deals were brokered by Cyrus Farrokh, who has been promoted to director of international distribution for Asia. Chris Grant, president of Shine International, said: 'Following MasterChef's success in India, we're thrilled to bring this format to its third Asian country, proving once again the universal appeal of this hit culinary format.'Spartacus: Blood & Snots showrunner Steven S DeKnight has promised that the show's second season will be 'epic' in scale. He told Entertainment Weekly that the new run will expand on events in the first season and hinted at a number of character deaths. 'In true Spartacus fashion, nothing will be easy for our heroes and villains,' he claimed. 'The scope and scale we are attempting is much larger than anything we have done before. And I'm guessing a few beloved characters may die.' DeKnight also confirmed that Gannicus (played by Dustin Clare) will appear in the new season, having survived the events of prequel series Gods of the Arena. 'Gannicus is one of Spartacus's generals in the actual war,' he explained. 'Our original plan was always to introduce Gannicus into [the main] storyline. We will set him up to at some point come back [but] he won't pop up immediately.' He added that the series could run for a total of 'anywhere from three to six seasons. One [issue] is budget,' he said. 'The show gets more expensive each season. The other is ratings. Budget is not a small part of it. As the gladiator war continues and Spartacus's army grows, it becomes more difficult to produce on a TV budget.'
The BBC has announced a new documentary about dinosaurs using 3D graphics and CGI, ten years after its successful Walking With Dinosaurs series. Planet Dinosaur, due to be broadcast on BBC1, focuses on the less well-known dinosaurs, including Spinosaurus, the biggest killer to ever walk the Earth, and the immense sea monster Predator X.
The three-part series will combine a 3D graphical world, computer imagery and photo-realistic fight scenes to give a 'whole new perspective on dinosaurs.' To accompany the series, BBC4 will take a look at the story of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals in three new programmes - How to Build a Dinosaur, Survivors and Dinosaurs, Myths And Monsters. Three-part series How To Build a Dinosaur, presented by anatomist Dr Alice Roberts, guides viewers through the construction of a new dinosaur exhibition at the Natural History Museum, right from the raw bones to the final skeleton. Hour-long documentary Survivors features professor Richard Fortey of the museum investigating what enables one species to survive, while another dies out. Dinosaurs, Myths And Monsters tells the story of the discovery of dinosaurs, including how the ideas, explanations and philosophies have altered over time. Kim Shillinglaw, commissioner of science and natural history, said: 'We're living in a golden of dinosaur discoveries - this is a fantastic time for us to use the latest technology to bring to life a new variety of dinosaurs for a new generation.' The dinosaurs season, scheduled to air later this year, will be supported by online, learning and interactive initiatives from BBC Online.Hollyoaks producers have announced that a forthcoming edition of the soap will feature a tie-in with Heat magazine.
In an episode due to be broadcast later this month, the soap's characters will be excited to learn that the publication's team are paying a visit to the village because they want Riley Costello (Rob Norbury) to appear as their Torso of the Week. While Riley's mum, Heidi, is thrilled to learn of her son's modelling success, the footballer has other things on his mind - meaning that Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) is lined-up to take his place. However, the magazine's team soon spot another local resident who they think would work perfectly.Al Murray is taking his pub quiz Compete For The Meat to digital channel Dave. The broadcaster has commissioned eight hour-long episodes of the 'anarchic' pub quiz, which has previously been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. The show will debut on Dave in a 10pm slot from mid-May. Jane Rogerson, director of commissioning at Dave's parent company UKTV, said:
'Al Murray is one of comedy's greats and I'm delighted that we've been able to secure such an innovative and funny show for Dave.' Richard Allen-Turner, of makers Avalon Television, added: 'We have all the ingredients for a cracking entertainment series – one of the county's most loved comics, an excellent broadcasting channel and above all, a frozen chicken as top prize.' Al Murray's Compete For The Meat will be produced by Matt Nida, who previously worked on Big Fat Quiz of the Year for Channel Four and directed by Brian Klein, whose credits include Top Gear.Colin Firth reportedly almost lost his Oscar when he left the trophy on the top of a toilet. According to the Mirra, Firth was 'so shocked by his win' that he accidentally left his Oscar in the bathroom.
Fortunately, the statue was discovered by a cloakroom attendant who returned it to the actor. However, Firth was not the only one that was excited by his win in the 'Best Actor' category. 'Everyone was trying to buy him drinks. He may be fifty but he knows how to party and was determined to make the most of the occasion,' said a source.Channel Four plans to 'fling open its doors' to small, first-time and regional producers after admitting its supplier base has become too narrow according to Broadcast. The shake-up will see the introduction of an 'open-door' policy enabling access to commissioners. It will be led by chief creative officer Jay Hunt, who will personally host twelve independent production company surgeries a year, including six outside of London. In addition, heads of departments and some commissioning editors will visit two cities with established production communities each year. Department heads will also undertake to work with at least one new producer and one new piece of talent a year, and will be tasked with mentoring an emerging independent. The initiative is about improving geographical diversity and reconnecting with smaller companies, as well as reasserting C4's traditionally close relationship with the indepdendent sector. It is partly the result of feedback from a Channel Four supplier survey commissioned last year and carried out by consultant Mark Atkin. Director of creative diversity Stuart Cosgrove said one of the key messages revealed by the research was 'don't become besotted by your top ten indies.' In responding to the survey, independent producers demanded greater access to commissioning editors and for C4 to be more adventurous in the way it engages with companies. 'The point the survey made was: always make room in the C4 system for the new, the different and the challenging,' Cosgrove said. Hunt said that she was determined the scheme would have an impact on C4's output. She said daytime and 11pm could get more investment as part of the scheme, but it was not a case of 'simply providing for the outer reaches of the schedule. These are not meetings for meeting's sake,' she said. 'The expectation is that we get a greater range of ideas, and some of those will get to air. We want suppliers to be providing for all parts of the schedule. Clearly, a number of superindies are responsible for some of our biggest shows and they are very important relationships to us. But we still have room for different sorts of suppliers from all around the country. I think it is important to signal that we have an open door.' According to Broadcast, the 'charm offensive' follows an acknowledgement of the issue by chief executive David Abraham at the Salford Nations & Regions Media Conference in January. He said at the time: 'I think it's fair to say that in recent years we may have become too reliant on too narrow a range of companies.' The range of measures will also look to re-engage with indies that have supplied C4 in the past but have not done so for a period of time.
Joanna Lumley believes that 'young people' today are 'being led into a false paradise.' In an interview with the Radio Times, the Absolutely Fabulous actress said that she worries children believe that theft, plagiarism and playing truant are acceptable. 'Nowadays, children find it laughably amusing to shoplift and steal,' she said.
'We allow them to bunk off school and bring in sicknotes. There was one "crime" during the whole time I was at school, when a fountain pen went missing. Stealing just didn't happen. We smile when they download information from the Internet and lazily present it as their own work. We're leading our children into a false paradise.' The actress and political campaigner compared young people in the UK with those she had met filming documentaries abroad, saying that she had seen some children taking on great responsibility. She continued: 'In Ethiopia you might find a seven-year-old expected to take fifteen goats out into the fields for the whole day with only a chapati to eat and his whistle.' They're expected to eat whistles? Well, that's abuse, surely? 'Why are we so afraid to give our children responsibilities like this?' Lumley added that she would like to see children spending less time on the Internet and instead taking part in outdoor pursuits like camping or working on farms. Or, up a chimney. Or something.In the latest political retreat by the Government, controversial parts of the so-called 'bonfire of the quangos' bill have been dropped. The Public Bodies Bill has been proposed by the Coalition to allow ministers to abolish almost two hundred0 public bodies including the Audit Commission and the Film Council. It would also give ministers extensive new legal powers to order changes to another one hundred and fifty public bodies using secondary legislation, meaning they could be abolished without further parliamentary approval.
Such powers are often called 'Henry VIII powers' in reference to the Tudor monarch's autocratic rule. But the measures proposed were opposed by peers, who argued that they would give ministers too much power. Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice, last year attacked the plan as 'extraordinary' and suggested it could undermine the independence of the judiciary. The list of bodies that would be made vulnerable to abolition by order was included in schedule seven of the bill. Lord Taylor of Holbeach, a Government Whip, told the Lords that the controversial schedule has now been abandoned. 'It is has become clear during the passage of this Bill to date that this House is uncomfortable with the nature of schedule seven.'Iran has reportedly threatened to boycott the London Olympics in 2012 over claims that the logo spells out the word 'Zion.' According to the Gruniad Morning Star, a formal complaint has been lodged with the International Olympic Committee calling for the image to be changed and its designers 'confronted.'
Zion is the Hebrew term used in biblical sources to refer to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. After the revolution of 1979, Iran severed all ties with Israel. An announcement from the state-backed Iranian Students News Agency read: 'As Internet documents have proved, using the word Zion in the logo of the 2012 Olympic Games is a disgracing action and against the Olympics' valuable mottos. There is no doubt that negligence of the issue from your side may affect the presence of some countries in the Games, especially Iran which abides by commitment to the values and principles.' Mad. As. Toast. An IOC official confirmed receipt of the letter from Iran but countered: 'The London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else.'Former Hollywood actress and sex symbol Jane Russell has died the age of eighty nine. The brunette was discovered by eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, who cast her in his 1943 Western The Outlaw. Some of her most memorable parts include the The Paleface (1948) with Bob Hope, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) with Marilyn Monroe. She died on Monday at her home in California of a respiratory-related illness, her daughter-in-law confirmed.
'She always said I'm going to die in the saddle, I'm not going to sit at home and become an old woman. And that's exactly what she did, she died in the saddle,' Etta Waterfield said, recounting that Russell had remained active in her local community until illness intervened in recent weeks. Russell was a pin-up girl in the 1940s and 1950s, but her film career had faded by the 1960s. 'Why did I quit movies? Because I was getting too old! You couldn't go on acting in those years if you were an actress over thirty,' she said in an interview in 1999. In 1971, she featured in the Broadway musical Company. Later, she appeared in TV commercials promoting brassieres, including the eighteen-hour bra for Playtex. Russell married three times and adopted three children. After experiencing problems during the adoption process, she founded the World Adoption International Agency, which has helped to organise the adoptions in the US of tens of thousands of children from overseas. 'Mean, moody and magnificent' was the publicity description given to Jane Russell for her Hollywood debut in The Outlaw. She brought new meaning to the word 'cleavage' but she was also a talented actress, though it was her sex bomb image that made her a star. She was born in Minnesota, the only daughter of an army lieutenant and a travelling actress. Shouting to be heard amongst her four brothers, young Jane was interested in the stage from an early age. Working to help her family after her father's death, Jane found her voluptuous figure enabled her to do some modelling on the side. With the encouragement of her mother, she saved enough money to go to drama school. It was Jane's thirty eight-inch bust line that came to the attention of Howard Hughes, the breast-obsessed millionaire who used his knowledge of aerodynamics to design a special bra for the nineteen year old. 
Hughes was conducting a nationwide 'chest hunt' for a leading female role in The Outlaw. Made in 1941, it wasn't released until two years later and then only on a limited basis. Censorship finally gave the go-ahead for its general release in 1946. It was a smash at the box office. The film produced much vulgar publicity for Russell. She had signed a seven year contract with Hughes and most of the films he produced showed Jane in a light that typically exploited her body. Movies like the 1951 His Kind of Woman with Robert Mitchum and Johnny Reno did little to showcase her true acting ability. In the mid-1950s, she formed Russ-Field Productions with her first husband Bob Waterfield, the star of the Cleveland Rams football team, but this did not substantially improve her box office appeal. She married three times. Her second husband, the actor Roger Barrett, died less then three months into their marriage from a heart-attack. Her third husband was a real estate agent, John Calvin Peoples. In February 1952, she and Waterfield adopted a baby girl, Tracy. In December 1952, they adopted a fifteen-month-old boy, Thomas and in 1956 they adopted nine-month-old Robert John. According to Jane herself, due to back street abortions early in her career she was unable to have children. At the height of her career, Russell started the 'Hollywood Christian Group,' a weekly Bible study at her home which was arranged for Christians in the film industry. She was, at times, a prominent Republican Party member who attended president Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. She has described her struggles with alcoholism, commenting in her later life: 
'These days I am a tee-total, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot. But not a racist!' She is survived by her three children, six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. According to the ever reliable Wikipedia, a keen bagpipe player, Russell once suggested to Paul McCartney that she play on Wings' hit single 'Mull of Kintyre.' McCartney 'declined the offer as Russell did not possess a valid work visa for the UK at the time.' Yer Keith Telly Topping is pretty sure that's not even remotely true (although it hasn't stopped Channel Four News website from repeating part of the story). But, it really should be!Duran Duran will celebrate their thirtieth year in the music industry in a one-off ITV special, it has been announced. The group will take to the stage in ITV's London Studios in front of a live audience in Duran Duran: One Night Only. Hosted by Christine Bleakley, the show promises to offer a rare insight into the 80's icons when it is broadcast later this month. 'We are very excited to be a part of the One Night Only series - as we really like the format of the programme,' singer Simon Le Bon-Bon said.
'We always enjoy performing in front of a live audience and this show will be the first opportunity for us to play a number of songs from the new album. We've spent the last couple of weeks in our rehearsal room working on the arrangements for all the new material and we are looking forward to the show very much.' John Kaye Cooper, Controller of Entertainment for the broadcaster, added: 'It will be a real treat for ITV viewers to see one of Britain's most iconic and successful bands of the 80's celebrating their musical milestone.'After that, you might expect today's Keith Telly Topping's 45(s) of the Day to be 'Planet Earth' and 'Rio.' But, instead, we have a small exercise in that old game 'same riff, different song.' To wit this
... which was the obvious inspiration for not only this ... 
... but, also, that. 
And about a thousand others as well. (Including, more directly, this. Tell 'em all about it, Eric!)
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