Girls Aloud Nicola Roberts: 'I want Downton Abbey role'

Girls Aloud Nicola Roberts: 'I want Downton Abbey role'

Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts has revealed that she would love a role on Downton Abbey.

The Cinderella's Eyes star admitted to being a big fan of the ITV drama and said she would happily sign up for a cameo appearance.

"I would love to be in it even if it was just for one episode," she told the Daily Star. "It's so amazing, I actually feel like it's real life. My friends all think I'm really weird."

Roberts has also declared she would be open to starring on EastEnders, suggesting that she could play the sister of Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer).

The 26-year-old has been thinking about possible roles after enjoying her "little bit of acting" in the video for latest single 'Yo-Yo'.

"I wrote the story to the video and I had to kind of act the video a little bit," she said. "I didn't know if I was going to be able to do it, but actually I really enjoyed it."

Celebrity Big Brother Andrew Stone: 'Housemates thought I was a mole'

Celebrity Big Brother Andrew Stone: 'Housemates thought I was a mole'

Andrew Stone has described his Celebrity Big Brother experience as "amazing" and "panto".

Pineapple Dance Studios star Stone was the first person voted out of the show this evening, garnering less support than model Georgia Salpa in the public poll.

Talking about why he thought he was nominated by his fellow housemates, he said: "I'm a bit like Marmite TV - you'll either get me or you won't . I'm a bit of a kaleidoscopic person.

"They all said, 'We didn't know who to nominate'. People came to me and said, 'I wish I could change my nomination'."

He added: "I was a bit nervous the first few days; I was very much enclosed, I was quite hyper, but by the time I settled down it was too late.

"I was very aware of the cameras, having been followed by Pineapple. A lot of them were convinced I was a mole."

Fox: Big year for Nancy and Darren

Fox: Big year for Nancy and Darren

Hollyoaks star Jessica Fox has revealed that there'll be more excitement for her alter-ego Nancy Hayton this year.

The 28-year-old, who has played the role since 2005, has extended her contract and predicted that an upcoming storyline is the "biggest" for the character so far.

"I've just signed a new contract so I'm sticking around for the time being. I get spoilt with really good plots, and what's coming up is, in my opinion, Nancy's biggest storyline," she told Inside Soap.

"It will be a big year for Nancy and Darren, so I'm very excited!"

Nancy - who used to take drugs and has been involved in a bisexual love triangle with Kris Fisher and Ravi Roy - has found happiness with boyfriend Darren Osborne, having moved in with him and his family.

Yet Jessica would like her alter-ego to be less hot-tempered.

"She has a very short fuse and loses her temper quickly, so I think I'd get her to work on that a bit. Perhaps she could go to anger management classes!" she added.

'Take Me Out' contestant 'worked as £200-an-hour prostitute'

'Take Me Out' contestant 'worked as £200-an-hour prostitute'

Take Me Out contestant Wen-Jing Mo has come clean about her past life as a £200-per-hour prostitute.

The 28-year-old, who won a date with former escort Aaron Withers on the show last Saturday (January 7), explained that she was "desperate" for money when the salon she had an apprenticeship at went bust.

"Looking back now of course I regret doing it - but at the time it was a lifeline for me," she told The Mirror. "I think a lot of other people in my position would do the same if it meant they could eat properly - I saw it as a matter of survival."

Mo was signed to a London escort agency for six months at the age of 18 after falling into massive debt. She claimed to have a CCJ out after failing to pay council tax for almost a year.

"Looking back at that period of my life is incredibly difficult for me - and some of the memories are seriously unpleasant," she said. "I've worked hard to block a lot of them out and start again, but some of the clients were very rude and obnoxious - very scary sometimes.

"On at least one occasion I threw the guy's cash back in his face and ran off. Often I was just grateful just to get away safely."

Mo said she hoped that Take Me Out would mark the beginning of a new chapter in her life.

"When I applied to go on Take Me Out I was genuinely looking for love," she claimed. "I've moved on with my life and the show seemed like a good fun way of perhaps meeting someone new. I didn't want my past to get in the way of that, or for anyone to prejudge me."

Mo, a victim of domestic assault, yesterday blasted Withers for covering up an assault conviction stemming from a fight with a man and his girlfriend.

A TV source said of the latest Take Me Out revelation: "The fact that both the stars of its first show have worked as escorts is incredible to say the least. It's hardly the sort of image that ITV would want to be associated with."

Dave Lamb dropped from 'Waybuloo' after parent complaints

Dave Lamb dropped from 'Waybuloo' after parent complaints

Dave Lamb has been dropped from the CBeebies programme Waybuloo.

The Come Dine With Me host recently signed up to narrate the programme in an attempt to make it more enjoyable for parents.

However, following the first episode in the new format on Monday, parents took to the show's official blog to complain about the changes.

They described the voiceover as "unnecessary", an "epic fail", "inane prattle" and "aggressive, almost as if [Lamb] was mocking the characters" in posts on the blog, which detailed the new format.

Other commenters suggested that their children had reacted badly to the changes, while some claimed that the show was no longer suitable before bedtime.

An update on the blog has now confirmed that Lamb's narration will not continue.

"Thanks for all your comments - it's great to see how passionate you are about the show," CBeebies said.

"We've listened to all your feedback and have decided to revert to the original format for the show in Bedtime from tonight onwards. Thanks for all your views - keep them coming!"

Ronnie Biggs's wife subject of new ITV1 drama

Ronnie Biggs's wife subject of new ITV1 drama

ITV1 has commissioned a new drama about the life of Ronnie Biggs's wife Charmian.

Mrs Biggs will focus on the life of the train robber's spouse from the moment they met on a train, Broadcast says.

The show's executive producer Jeff Pope, who has reportedly been developing the project for four years, described it as "one of the greatest untold stories of the 20th century".

Charmian Biggs has also been working on the five-part series as a consultant.

Filming for Mrs Biggs, which is being co-produced by an Australian company and will air there on the Seven Network, will take place in London, Paris, Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro.

Pope recently worked on another ITV1 drama, the critically acclaimed Appropriate Adult, which starred Dominic West and Emily Watson.

Big Brother bosses hire security for Georgia Salpa after texts scare

Big Brother bosses hire security for Georgia Salpa after texts scare

Georgia Salpa is the ninth celebrity to enter the Big Brother House

Celebrity Big Brother's Georgia Salpa was reportedly bombarded with threatening texts on her mobile phone before she entered the house last week.

According to The Mirror, producers of the reality show have hired a security team to protect the Irish model, who is the bookmakers' favourite to be evicted tonight.

One message on Salpa's phone apparently reads: "I'll be waiting for you when you get off the show. See you in Ireland. One way or the other you will be sleeping with me. I've been watching you for a long time."

Of her reaction to the texts, a source explained: "She was really freaked out by the messages but whenever she rang back nobody answered. It seems they have bought a sim card and are untraceable.

"She tried to put it behind her because she literally had a couple of hours to go before she was going live on the show. But Big Brother bosses aren't taking any chances and will be helping to keep an eye on her when she comes out.

"Poor Georgia has had the whole sick episode playing on her mind the whole time she's been in the house. It must have been tough on her."

The insider added: "Georgia has been distracted on the show by those horrible threats before she went in. But if she can survive the eviction vote then she could go on and show the public her true personality."

Channel 4 plans torture drama 'Complicit'

Channel 4 plans torture drama 'Complicit'

Channel 4 has commissioned a new drama about torture called Complicit.

The one-off film will focus on an MI5 officer called Edward working in the Middle East, Broadcast says.

The drama is expected to explore the moral dilemmas Edward faces surrounding the use of torture and will be set against the backdrop of the Arab Spring.

Complicit has been written by Guy Hibbert, who previously penned Omagh and Five Minutes of Heaven.

Channel 4's chief creative officer Jay Hunt said the drama "shows us a hidden world we think we know in an entirely original way, and goes straight to the core of one of the greatest dilemmas of our age".

Complicit is due to be broadcast later this year.

Something For The Weekend could return on ITV - Daily TV round-up

Something For The Weekend could return on ITV - Daily TV round-up

Axed BBC Two show 'Something For The Weekend' could return on ITV, according to reports.

The magazine show, presented by Tim Lovejoy, chef Simon Rimmer and Louise Redknapp, was cancelled earlier this week.

Since then fans of the show have set up a Facebook page in the hopes of saving it, with over 22,000 supporters so far.

An insider at ITV told the Guardian that 'we're always looking at things that might work creatively. But it would not be called 'Something for the Weekend'.'

The show is made by independent company Princess Productions, rather than the BBC, so could effectively be transferred to another channel.

A spokesperson from Princess confirmed the cancellation this week, saying: “We can confirm the current series of 'Something For The Weekend' will be its last. The show continues to maintain the high ratings and popularity.

“The decision not to renew is down to the proposed cuts to budgets and in original daytime commissioning.” [The Guardian]

Jeremy Clarkson earned £2.14 million from 'Top Gear' last year, it has been revealed. The presenter gets a cut from DVD sales as well as his fee for presenting the show, earning him twice the figure he pulled in the previous year. [Metro]

Contestants of ITV dating show 'Take Me Out' reportedly trashed a £4.5 million mansion during a two-night party, according to reports. Up to £3,000 worth of damage is said to have been caused to the Grade II listed building in Chepstow. A source told a newspaper that 'there were smashed champagne glasses and bottles everywhere. And the carpet got really filthy'. [The Sun]

'Goodfellas' is to be turned into a TV series. US network AMC are putting the classic Scorsese film into development, according to reports. [Deadline]

New man for Hollyoaks' Mitzeee?

New man for Hollyoaks' Mitzeee?

Hollyoaks star Rachel Shenton has hinted that her character Mitzeee Minniver may have a new man in her life in the near future.

Mitzeee was last dating Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas), before his arrest for her attempted murder and subsequent exit from the E4 soap.

"I'm not going to say too much, all I'm saying is I'm very excited at a potential new romance for Mitzeee," she told NewsScoop.

Rachel, who has portrayed the glamour model since July 2010, revealed she had a "blast" shooting Jamie's exit.

"Jamie's great, we had such a blast filming his final scenes," she recalled.

"On some of the aggressive parts, we decided the best thing to do was not hold back and just go for it, which was a little scary at times."

Celebrity Big Brother Live Feed returns - live updates

Celebrity Big Brother Live Feed returns - live updates

You wanted it. You shouted about it. You shouted about it some more. And finally you got it back. Well, sort of.

Channel 5 revives the much-loved and much-missed Big Brother Live Feed this evening for one hour of unfiltered entertainment from inside the famous Elstree Studios compound.

We will also be going back to its BB roots and live-blogging all the activities from Frankie Cocozza, Michael Madsen and co. Stick with us all evening to keep up-to-date on the fall-out from the first eviction of the series.

23.03 Oh well, that's it then. Bit of an abrupt ending there Channel 5. I'm not sure I'd call that little live burst a success but, hey, I know how in demand any kind of feed has been, so I hope you're all nice and satisfied. Let us known in the comments what you thought and be sure to join Digital Spy for our next lot of live updates on Friday night. Cheerio.

22.59 Denise and the twins are debating the Anglo/American split over how to pronounce the word "supposedly". Or is it "supposABLY?" Either way, it's a bit tedious - but we do have our first live name drop. Denise says her old Dancing on Ice partner Matt Evers says it the second way.

22.57 Kirk's out of the Diary Room and Romeo's in the bedroom having just stepped out of the shower.

22.54 Time for our last slice of live BB action to get under way. Nicola asks Gareth if he has a boyfriend, but he says he doesn't want to talk about it. Nicola suggests they have an "honest Monday" to let it all out. "That is an honest Monday on its own," Gareth says of his love life. "The whole day". Nicola squeals in anticipation.

22.47 The group are shaken by a particularly stern-sounding Big Brother asking Kirk to come to the Diary Room. "I quite like the forceful one," Denise says. A Loose Woman to the core.

22.45 Gareth and Nicola are in the bedroom. He says he'd feel upset to be singled out for eviction by one person like she was, but Nicola claims she was prepared for Georgia to nominate her. "I knew she'd pick me because she doesn't like me," she says. "If my time's up, my time's up. I'm not going to make it awkward or have a worse time."

22.41 Natasha is wondering whether Frankie could get into her jeans. Make your own jokes.

22.38 We're back in the house. The girls are all out in the garden having some wine time. Natalie and one of the twins are planning a late night work out.

22.33 Ad break. Can you believe we're already halfway through our live feed allowance? And the housemates have only just gotten started on the alcohol!

22.32 Kirk's giving Romeo a shoulder massage and Michael's making some strange groaning noises somewhere secret... this live feed has suddenly turned a little lewd.

22.30 Natalie says the twins came to her asking how much alcohol they were allowed, which apparently is very "sweet" of them. She thinks they're going to find it "harder and harder" in the house.

22.27 Waaay, our first burst of bird song! Brings a tear to my eye!

22.26 Denise says that although it must be "horrible" to be voted out first, Andrew was probably the right choice as he "is a camp guy [and is] very different to the dynamic in this house".

22.24 Georgia is still coming down from her rollercoaster night and lights up a much-needed fag. She claims she expected to go, but then every housemate to have survived an eviction says that.

22.22 In the garden, Frankie tells Romeo that he would have refused to nominate and taken the punishment. "That was f**king evil," he later tells Georgia. "I couldn't believe it".

22.21 And we're back. Denise's domestic goddess side has come out, pointing at the dirty kitchen and declaring "we're gonna have a couple of drinks... f**k this".

22.17 Well, it's time for our first ad break and so far... nothing's happened. Why did you all want this back, again? Joking aside, are you happy to be tuning in to the live feed once more? Leave your comments below.

22.15 For some reason, the cameras have zoomed in on Frankie's treasure trail as the housemates change in the bedroom. How about that, you can get the Holly 'Geordie Shore' Hagan experience from the comfort of your sofa. Amazing.

22.13 Big Brother orders housemates to change out of their fairytale outfits. He's been a well bossy so and so tonight - nominate this, take off that. Rude. Michael wants to keep his on for a few more days.

22.12 Big Brother opens the storeroom and housemates are granted three whole drinks. Natalie's reminding them all to drink sensibly.

22.08 Nicola's reacting well to her nominations - throwing a diva strop about the lack of alcohol. "One drink is not a party," she says. Natalie campaigns for Georgia to get a drink to steady her nerves, as well. Poor lamb.

22.07 "You had to pick two people and its absolutely fine," Nicola adds to her. "Just have a great time". Kirk's 'fragile young girl-sense' starts tingling and he's in there like a shot with a sneaky hug. Essex boys, eh.

22.05 Georgia makes her exit from the Diary Room and hugs are exchanged as she apologises to the two she nominated. "Don't let it ruin your night," Nicola tells her. "Just chill. everyone's cool."

22.02 In case you missed all the shenanigans this evening, the British public have been up to their old tricks again and decided to evict drama magnet Andrew Stone over the nice but boring Georgia Salpa. BB rewarded her victory by asking her to nominate in front of the entire house...and she chose Natasha and Nicola. There's more to come over the next 60 mins.

21.59 Evening all. Well, it's back. The bird song and sound dips of the Big Brother live feed are back...for one whole hour! Ah, who cares, the other 23 were probably rubbish anyway.

'Luther', 'Death in Paradise' to return to BBC One

'Luther', 'Death in Paradise' to return to BBC One

Luther and Death In Paradise will both return to BBC One, it has been confirmed.

BBC head of drama Ben Stephenson made the announcement at the recent Broadcasting Press Guild lunch.

Death In Paradise - described by Stephenson as "old-fashioned fun with a modern slant" - stars Ben Miller as Richard Poole, a stuffy British policeman who is relocated to the fictional Caribbean island of Saint-Marie.

The drama, which peaked at 6.78m viewers in 2011, will return for eight more episodes later this year.

Stephenson added that Idris Elba's cop drama Luther - which attracted an audience of up to 6.77m - has been recommissioned for four more 60-minute episodes.

Elba said earlier this year that he was hoping for a third series of Luther, telling Digital Spy that the new run will boast "more mayhem".

The actor also revealed that he would like to reprise his role of DCI John Luther in a big-screen adaptation.

"I really do want to make Luther into a film," he said. "I think that's where the ultimate Luther story will unfold, the big silver screen."

'Supernatural' scoop: Details of Castiel's return (and Bobby's resurrection?)

'Supernatural' scoop: Details of Castiel's return (and Bobby's resurrection?)

Okay, "Supernatural" fans, we know you've been through a lot this season. It hasn't been easy watching the Winchesters lose Castiel, Bobby, and their car over the course of just a few months. We feel your pain (though we will say, we're loving the unexpected turns this season has taken!).

While we can't make everything better, we can give you some good news. At Wednesday's Television Critics Association party we spoke with executive producer Robert Singer and, in addition to some serious scoop on Misha Collins' return as Castiel, we got official confirmation that Jim Beaver will be back.

"Jim will be back, in one form or another, this season," Singer says. "That's probably as much as I'm going to say. The killing of Bobby was part of an overall idea this year of isolating the boys. It started with losing Castiel, then we went into a real, constant bonding with Bobby. We really built their relationship with Bobby this season, and then we ripped that away from them. We put them in a place they've really never been before, where they have no life supports, no lifelines, and no backups. They're facing this huge monolithic evil, but they're reduced to two lonely cowboys."

Singer tells us that the death of Bobby has been planned since the season began. "I think we did it in a way that the audience accepted," he says. "We really wanted to send Jim off that way, with a tear in everybody's eye. It was dangerous, but we like to go where the story takes us, and that's where the story took us."

When we spoke with Sera Gamble this week, she wouldn't breathe a word about Collins' three-episode arc, which begins with episode 317. Singer had a bit more to say now that the script is finished. "When they run across Castiel, it's a very different kind of Castiel. Dean has a bit of a moral dilemma in regard to Castiel in that first episode," he reveals. "Dean does some soul searching."

Fans felt that they were left out to dry when Castiel "died" at the beginning of the season, but Singer promises a more satisfying conclusion this time. "It will feel like some sort of closure, yes," he says. "Not in the first episode back, of course, but by the third, absolutely."

Speaking of closure, Singer tells us that there is a cliffhanger ending planned for this season, whether or not The CW gives the show an early pickup for Season 8. "We like to be optimistic about the pickup," he says, "So we're going to write another cliffhanger ending, I think, and then just see what happens."

Will Jim Rome be a game-changer for CBS Sports?

Will Jim Rome be a game-changer for CBS Sports?

Jim Rome, the notorious radio and TV talker - he of the acerbic rants and intentional provocation - has switched networks again, going from ESPN to CBS Sports per an announcement by the network Wednesday.

Rome will participate across the CBS networks, contributing to CBS Sports and hosting a show on the CBS-owned Showtime.

But his first show to launch -- and the real experiment in all of this -- is his daily show with the CBS Sports Network, "Rome." The show will debut on April 3.

"CBS Sports Network is an increasingly high priority here at CBS," David Berson, President of CBS Sports Network and EVP of CBS Sports, told TheWrap. "We've identified live daily programming as a very big priority within that and upon setting that priority, Jim was at the top of the list."

So that begs the question: Will Rome make the CBS Sports Network more relevant?

The network has gone through a series of iterations, debuting as the National College Sports Network in June of 2002, changing its name to College Sports Television in 2003 and joining the CBS family in 2005. It adopted its current name in 2011, as part of a rebranding -- much like NBC did in rebranding Versus as the NBC Sports Network. Notice the similarity?

Both changes signal efforts to counter the sports broadcasting heft of ESPN and Fox Sports.

While CBS still holds the rights to many of sports' premiere events - the NFL, the Masters and college basketball's March Madness come to mind - it doesn't have the breadth of sports coverage of either Fox or ESPN.

ESPN owns rights galore and has a devoted fan base while Fox's local coverage has filled in gaps left vacant by ESPN.

Now CBS and NBC, often more focused on their prime time entertainment programming, are trying to get in on that game, and in lieu of securing a big event, CBS has made a splash with Rome.

Rome is undoubtedly a recognizable name. He has one of the 25 most popular radio shows in the nation -- drawing 2 million listeners on average -- and also boasts more than 600,000 Twitter followers.

CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus cited those numbers in announcing the deal, calling it a no-brainer for the network since it won't have to develop his personality or any buzz.

But the CBS Sports Network is still far from being a sports destination. Looking to add to its wealth of college sports programming in the past year, it has locked up deals with professional lacrosse and bull riding leagues - not exactly the crème de la crème in terms of fan interest.

But Berson was quick to note bull riding's popularity is growing - and that may be true - but it's still bull riding.

So is a talk show going to be a game changer? Can Rome really lure millions or even hundreds of thousands of viewers to the smallish network?

At the moment, the CBS Sports Network, though available to 98 millions homes, is seen in 45 million homes.

"I'm a big believer in creating an environment on your network, an expectation for fans on what they are coming to you for," Berson said. "There's a great need to have destination programming outside of live events. Jim is a perfect example of that. He has a loyal, built-in following and fans who will follow him here."

CBS will use its flagship network and Showtime to promote Rome on its sister channel -- an example of the corporate synergy it will employ to boost the channel as a whole.

CBS will help launch his weekday show, which will be quite similar to his former ESPN 2 show "Jim Rome is Burning," by using him during the Final Four for interviews and features.

In the fall, Rome will start an interview series on the CBS-owned Showtime, and he will also contribute to coverage of sports like football and college basketball for CBS.

"There's an insatiable appetite amongst sports fans for content; they don't want one vice but multiple voices," Berson said. "We see ourselves being one of those voices to satisfy the appetite of sports fans. CBS Sports itself has the best of the best and to have a cable partner with that, and a cable home, there are tons of opportunities to maximize those events."

Berson said you'd see Rome on NFL Today, around the NCAA Tournament and the U.S. Open tennis tournament doing interviews, features, profiles and commentary.

Still, when pressed he did acknowledge that Rome is "one element of the larger strategy."

He can't be a game changer all on his own.

'Modern Family' Baby Lily to Say the F-Word

'Modern Family' Baby Lily to Say the F-Word

"Modern Family" is breaking one of the oldest TV taboos: No cursing toddlers. In an episode next week, baby Lily will say the F-word.

Wait, no: Actually there is no cursing baby taboo, because shows rarely venture into cursing toddler terrain. But executive producer Steve Levitan says the show is going there because every parent has coped with a child who says things he or she shouldn't.

Levitan said at a Television Critics Association winter press tour panel on Tuesday that the show can get away with envelope-pushing material because ABC knows it is exploring issues in a smart way.

"We thought it was a very natural story since, as parents, we’ve all been through this. ABC will tell you 'Modern Family' gets away with a lot, because I think it’s all about context."

He added: "We are not a sexually charged show. ... It has a very warm tone, so people accept it more. I’m sure we’ll have some detractors."

The episode is titled "Little Bo Bleep." And yes, Lily will be bleeped.

'2 Broke Girls' Creator's Bizarre Way of Defending Ethnic Stereotypes: More Stereotypes

'2 Broke Girls' Creator's Bizarre Way of Defending Ethnic Stereotypes: More Stereotypes

"2 Broke Girls" creator Michael Patrick King has a unique way of addressing complaints that his show propagates ethnic stereotypes: By using more ethnic stereotypes.

Speaking at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler said Wednesday that CBS has asked King to "continue to dimensionalize, continue to get more specific, continue to build them out," referring to ethnic characters in "2 Broke Girls" that some critics have derided as stereotypical.

TheWrap asked King if he could confirm as much, to which he initially said, "You're asking me if I was asked by Nina to change the show to make the characters more dimensional? No. The characters are dimensional, and they're seen in segments of 21 minutes, which limits the amount of dimension you can see."

Because his comment seemed to contradict Tassler's, we asked him to clarify if anyone at CBS had asked him to add dimension to characters. He then explained, contradicting himself: "Nina has always said dimensionalize the characters."

But, frustrated with our repeated effors to get him to clarify what he had or had not been asked to do, he also asked your humble correspondent his name. Noting that it was Irish, he asked, "So, you're Irish? ... So we've identified your sexual problem."

Hahaha.

"Girls" has primarily come under criticism for the Korean immigrant character Han Lee (above). King said Wednesday that the last three episodes of the show have included jokes about Han being short, but no jokes about him being Asian. He also said he makes jokes about all types of people:

"I'm gay. I'm putting in gay stereotypes every week," he said. "I find it comic to take everybody down."

'Rob!': Rob Schneider has lofty expectations for his new comedy

'Rob!': Rob Schneider has lofty expectations for his new comedy

A smart rule for a new TV series is sell, but stay grounded. Apparently Rob Schneider didn't get the memo as it relates to his upcoming CBS comedy "Rob!" Before an episode even airs, Schneider compares the program - which centers on his character, his new wife (Claudia Bassols) and her extended Mexican family - to three classic comedies.

"It's 'All in the Mexican Family' and I'm Basil Fawlty," he says making reference to multi-Emmy winner "All in the Family" and the British comedy "Fawlty Towers." Schneider, while at the Television Critics Association Winter press tour, didn't stop there explaining that the show was essentially "I Love Lucy" with the leads reversed.

Cheech Marin, who plays Rob's father-in-law, echoes this sentiment when discussing his character.

"He's kind of in the Archie Bunker range and that's exactly how I wanted to portray him," Marin says. "He's not the bleeding heart liberal." Marin plays Fernando, an extreme Republican who employs numerous illegal aliens at one of his many car washes.

Schneider says that the series is looking to address cultural issues, especially in a increasingly diverse America. But he plans to do so with a comic outcome.

"I don't think you want to stay away from the stereotypes. I think you want to confront and deal with them," Schneider says. "If we can shed some light on it in a way that can be fun and people can relate to, that's fine."

Whether "Rob!" will qualify for the pantheon of TV sitcoms, that remains to be seen.

Kim Kardashian to co-host 'Live With Kelly' Jan. 23

Kim Kardashian to co-host 'Live With Kelly' Jan. 23

You know, we haven't really seen much of Kim Kardashian yet this year -- all 11 days of it.

Thank goodness we have "Live With Kelly" to remedy that situation: the most famous Kardashian sister will sit alongside Kelly Ripa on Jan. 23 to kick of a week of all-female co-hosts for the morning program.

No word on who will bring the girl power throughout the rest of the week, but the guest on Kardashian's show will be "Glee" star Kevin McHale. Kardashian will also dish on the new season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

Since Regis Philbin left "Live" in November, his chair has been filled with a rotating guard of co-hosts.

TV Tonight 12th of January 2012

TV Tonight 12th of January 2012

The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing.

    30 Rock S06E01: "Dance Like Nobody's Watching"
    Alaska: The Last Frontier S01E03: "Snow, Cold and Darkness"
    Art Mann Presents S08E01: "The Redneck Parade"
    Bargain Hunt S31E09: "Series 31, Episode 9"
    Beyond Scared Straight S02E11: "Oakland County, MI - Girls"
    Bones S07E06: "The Crack in The Code"
    Braxton Family Values S02E09: "Like Husband, Like Wife"
    Celebrity Big Brother S09E08: "Series 9, Episode 8"
    Conan S02E32: "Ricky Gervais, Wladimir Klitschko"
    Coronation Street S53E08: "Thu Jan 12, 2012"
    Countdown with Keith Olbermann S10E07: "Season 10, Episode 7"
    Days of our Lives S47E45: "Ep. #11755"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E131: "Episode 1811"
    Dickinson's Real Deal S08E28: "Series 8, Episode 28"
    Doctors S13E175: "Gimme a Break"
    Earthflight S01E03: "Europe"
    EastEnders S28E08: "January 12, 2012"
    Emmerdale S41E11: "January 12, 2012 [Episode 2]"
    Emmerdale S41E10: "January 12, 2012"
    Escape To The Country S12E08: "North Devon"
    Eternal Law S01E02: "Series 1, Episode 2"
    General Hospital (US) S49E198: "#12472"
    Got to Dance S03E15: "Series 3, Episode 15"
    Great British Railway Journeys S03E09: "Brockenhurst to Poole"
    Grey's Anatomy S08E11: "This Magic Moment"
    Hollyoaks S18E09: "January 12, 2012"
    Homes Under the Hammer S14E168: "Series 14, Show 168"
    Hotel cæsar S28E133: "Season 28, Episode 133"
    House of Anubis S02E07: "House of Myths"
    House of Anubis S02E08: "House of Nightmares"
    Impact Wrestling S08E67: "400th Episode"
    Impractical Jokers S01E06: "Season 1, Episode 6"
    It's All About Amy S01E06: "Episode 6"
    Jeopardy! S28E84: "Show #6289"
    Jersey Shore S05E02: "One Man Down"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E185
    Late Night with Jimmy Fallon S02E203
    Late Show with David Letterman S19E08: "Sen. John McCain, Johnny Winter"
    Location Location Location S14E02: "Series 14, Episode 2"
    Man, Woman, Wild S02E11: "Croatian Cave Odyssey"
    Mirai Nikki S01E14: "Episode 14"
    Naruto: Shippuuden S11E02: "Killer Bee and Motoi"
    Nazi Hunters S01E08: "The Villain of Lyon"
    Nazi Hunters S01E07: "Commander of Treblinka"
    Neighbours S28E04: "Episode 6314"
    NY Ink S02E03: "Paying Dues"
    One Life to Live S44E125: "Ep. #11104"
    Parks and Recreation S04E11: "The Comeback Kid"
    Person of Interest S01E11: "Super"
    Pointless S05E93: "Series 5, Episode 93"
    Private Practice S05E11: "The Standing Eight Count"
    Project Runway All-Stars S01E02: "A Night at the Opera"
    Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is S05E09: "Series 5, Episode 9"
    Question Time S32E15: "January 12, 2012"
    Rang 1 S01E12: "Season 1, Episode 12"
    Saints and Scroungers S03E09: "Series 3, Episode 9"
    Sket Dance S01E40: "Episode 40"
    Sveriges mästerkock S02E04: "Kval i Gävle"
    The Big Bang Theory S05E12: "The Shiny Trinket Maneuver"
    The Bold and the Beautiful S25E208: "Ep. #6237"
    The Chase (2009) S05E08: "Series 5, Episode 8"
    The Colbert Report S08E07: "Mike Allen"
    The Daily Show S17E07: "Dolly Parton"
    The Ellen DeGeneres Show S09E77: "Meryl Streep, Ricky Gervais, Snow Patrol"
    The Family (2011) S01E08: "What are You Going to Do?"
    The Finder S01E01: "An Orphan Walks Into a Bar"
    The Firm S01E03: "Chapter Three"
    The Jeremy Kyle Show S07E84: "January 12, 2012"
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S08E09: "Hugh Laurie"
    The Mentalist S04E11: "Always Bet on Red"
    The Office (US) S08E11: "Trivia"
    The Real Housewives Of Atlanta S04E10: "The Social Edition 1/12"
    The Restoration Man S02E02: "Series 2, Episode 2"
    The Rosie Show S01E48: "Funnyman Louie Anderson, Olympian Oksana Baiul"
    The Secret Circle S01E11: "Fire/Ice"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S19E224: "Gerard Butler, Betty White"
    The Vampire Diaries S03E11: "Our Town"
    The View S15E82: "Donnie Wahlberg, Heather Donahue"
    The Young and the Restless S39E205: "Ep. #9820"
    This Week (2003) S10E14: "January 12, 2012"
    Thuis S17E99: "Season 17, Episode 99"
    Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil S02E10: "2 Girls, 1 Tongue"
    Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil S02E09: "Deathday Cake"
    Tonight with Trevor McDonald S14E02: "The True Cost of Credit"
    truTV Presents: World's Dumbest... S12E10: "World's Dumbest Hillbillies 3"
    Up All Night (2011) S01E12: "New Year's Eve"
    Wanted Down Under S06E09: "Series 6, Episode 9"
    Watch What Happens: Live S06E05: "Rosie O'Donnell"
    Wereld draait door, De S07E90: "Season 7, Episode 90"
    Wie is... de Mol? S12E02: "Season 12, Episode 2"
    Wipeout (US) S05E03: "Ice, Ice Baby"
    ¡Rob! S01E01: "Pilot"

'Glee' cast dishes on Ricky Martin, Nene Leakes and Rachel's gay dads

'Glee' cast dishes on Ricky Martin, Nene Leakes and Rachel's gay dads

Now that Ryan Murphy has lifted the guest star moratorium on "Glee" Season 3, celebs have been signing up like crazy. Helen Mirren is providing a voiceover, Gloria Estefan is playing Santana's mom, Ricky Martin is playing a Spanish teacher and Nene Leakes is playing the new synchronized swimming coach.

We caught up with a few "Glee" cast members to hear their thoughts on this season's latest guest stars.

Lea Michele says that although she's a "Real Housewives of Atlanta" fanatic, she didn't get to work with Leakes. "I adore Nene," she confesses. "I'm so happy she's going to be on our show."

Martin, on the other hand, Michele has known since they were both on Broadway together in "Les Miserables" in 1996. "Ricky Martin is like the closest thing to an angel that exists on this Earth," she says. "He's the nicest person. You'd think he'd been on our show forever because he's such a fit. It just feels like, 'Oh yeah, he was here last week.'"

Cory Monteith was equally impressed with the "Livin' la Vida Loca" singer. "He's the real deal. He was famous when I was like 6, you know what I mean? So he's been doing it forever and we were so lucky to have him on the show."

Storyline-wise, Michele reveals that Martin's character will go head-to-head with Matthew Morrison's Mr. Schuester. "Their storyline is hilarious. Oh my god, his character talks Spanish to Will and Will's like [makes questioning face].'"

Newbie Damian McGinty, who won "The Glee Project" last summer, almost gave away a key plot point of Martin's episode, but stopped himself before spilling the beans. "All the guys sing -- [pauses] -- I was going to give it away! Wow. All the guys are singing a Spanish song."

As for Estefan, Monteith played coy and wouldn't confirm that the singer is actually joining the cast for an episode. "What, is she coming? I don't know," he says with a smile.

Future guest star opportunities could come in the form of Rachel's two gay dads, who have been referenced multiple times on the show but never seen (other than in photograph form in the pilot).

"I always would say before, 'I don't know, I don't think so' but I think now it's a definite possibility [that they'll be introduced]," Michele reveals. "Ryan and I were brainstorming some names the other day. I'm excited being a part of the concept with him. I've had a couple of people I thought would be great initially, and now brainstorming with Ryan I'm like 'Oh, WHOA! Really?' I did suggest that maybe Kanye West could be one of my dads, but I think he said he's unavailable."

Zooey Deschanel, Channing Tatum hosting 'Saturday Night Live' in February

Zooey Deschanel, Channing Tatum hosting 'Saturday Night Live' in February

"Saturday Night Live" has enlisted the help of two newbies to host the show in February.

Zooey Deschanel and Channing Tatum will both have their first crack at "SNL" stardom next month when they each spend a week in Rockefeller Center hosting the late-night staple for the very first time.

Tatum's up first on Feb. 4 with musical guest Bon Iver. The actor has many films out this year ("21 Jump Street," "Magic Mike" and many more), starting with "The Vow" on Feb. 10, so the timing's perfect for him.

Deschanel, who is nominated for a Golden Globe for her FOX sitcom "New Girl," will step into Studio 8H on Feb. 11 alongside musical guest Karmin.

We're loving these choices. Both stars seem like the kind of people who are game for anything, so as long as they get quality material to work with, we're sure they'll give their all

More Bad News for OWN: Oxygen Taps Its Rod Aissa as Programming SVP

More Bad News for OWN: Oxygen Taps Its Rod Aissa as Programming SVP

Oprah Winfrey might be applying herself to OWN with reinvigorated commitment, and the network may be showing glimmers of hope in the ratings, but Winfrey's struggling TV venture is continuing to show signs of tumult.

Oxygen Media has hired Rod Aissa, up to now OWN's programming honcho, as its senior vice president of original programming and development. Aissa's hire is the latest in a series of defections for OWN that includes the departure of Winfrey's longtime friend Gayle King for CBS' "Early Show" in November.

In his new position, Aissa will have strategic oversight over development and production for Oxygen's original programming, which includes a slate of upcoming titles including "The Next Big Thing," "LA Style" and "The Eva Marcille Project." The duties are very similar to those Aissa held at OWN, where he oversaw all programming and development for the fledgling network.

Aissa came to OWN in 2010, as part of a shakeup to the network's programming team that also included the recruitment of Michele Dix and Drew Tappon. Prior to OWN, Aissa was executive vice president, TV at Ashton Kutcher's production company Katalyst Films, and before that served as executive vice president, series and talent development at MTV/MTV Films, where he was part of the team that created "Punk'd" and "The Osbournes."

Oxygen president Jason Klarman praised Aissa as "a smart programming executive who has his finger on the pulse of pop culture," predicting that he "will supercharge our already robust efforts in original programming."

OWN did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment.

'Mike & Molly' Plans May Wedding

'Mike & Molly' Plans May Wedding

"Mike & Molly" is planning a May wedding for its two leads, the show's producers said Wednesday.

Speaking at the Television Critics Assocation winter press tour, executive producer Chuck Lorre said the event would likely coincide with the May sweeps.

"We're thinking May," Lorre said.

The producers joked that they would have to run the date by star Melissa McCarthy given her huge rise since her breakout turn in "Bridesmaids."

Could Ashton Kutcher Not Return to 'Two and a Half Men'?

Could Ashton Kutcher Not Return to 'Two and a Half Men'?

With Ashton Kutcher leading "Two and a Half Men" to even higher ratings than it earned with Charlie Sheen -- when it was already TV's biggest sitcom -- it seems absurd that he wouldn't return to the show.

But Kutcher's return isn't a lock -- even though he says he'd like to come back for another season. Kutcher said at the Television Critics Association winter press tour Wednesday that he plans to shoot two movies during the summer, which he hopes will be a break between his first and second season on "Men."

"Right now I'm looking at it as a hiatus," he said.

A return will likely include a bigger paycheck. Sheen earned nearly $2 million an episode including syndication payments, and Kutcher earns less than half as much under the one-season contract that brought him to the show.

"The deal that we structured for the show was kind of a test deal: Can we get the show up, can we get it going," Kutcher said. "The show's outperforming the numbers from before I was here, and so I think that people responded to it. For me, having a show that people like and people want more of, that will dictate my decision."

Asked how long the show can go on, show co-creator Chuck Lorre said it was up to CBS's entertainment president.

"That's a question you should ask Nina Tassler," he joked.

Lorre said he "absolutlely" considered ending the show when Charlie Sheen was fired, adding, "It was impossible to think of it going forward."

What changed that, he said, was Ashton Kutcher.

"There was clearly interest at CBS to keep this thing going," he said. "And at first it seemed like an impossible ... and maybe slightly ridiculous thing to try to do. ... But we just went, why not try? What's the harm in trying? If we fail, no one will be physically harmed."

"And also no one will be surprised," added co-creator Lee Aronsohn.

CBS Chief Nina Tassler Defends Risqué, Stereotypical Comedies

CBS Chief Nina Tassler Defends Risqué, Stereotypical Comedies

CBS's very successful block of Monday night comedies includes constant hook-ups ("How I Met Your Mother"), blurred male nudity ("Two and a Half Men,") and vagina jokes and ethnic caricatures ("2 Broke Girls") -- but none of them go too far, says CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler.

Still, she said, the network has talked to "2 Broke Girls" show runner Michael Patrick King about continuing to "dimensionalize" characters during diner scenes that sometimes play on ethnic stereotypes.

Tassler said at the Television Critics Association winter press tour Wednesday that the network doesn't worry that the shows -- which share Mondays with the double entendre-filled "Mike & Molly" -- may go too far.

"We don't bring people in for a mass meeting about that quality of the shows," she said. "Each show is separate unto itself. ... They're a little risqué, but the characters are, we like to think, they're living truthfully in their relative situations."

The Monday night block has been a runaway success this fall: "Two and a Half Men," already TV's biggest sitcom, has only gained in the ratings since replacing Charlie Sheen with Ashton Kutcher, and "2 Broke Girls" is the biggest new show of the fall. The shows routinely beat those on other networks, and even their reruns have topped new episodes on other networks.

But critics sometimes complain about the lowbrow elements of CBS's Monday hits. Even Charlie Sheen, fired from "Men" last year, told reporters Sunday night that his new show, "Anger Management," won't feature the "dick jokes," "fart jokes" or "poo poo jokes" that pop up on "Men."

But Tassler said the shows are funny.

"Their dialogue is really landing with audiences," she said. "The shows are laugh-out-loud funny. ... I laugh out loud. It's not a snicker, it's not a chuckle. They're belly laughs."

"They push the envelope," she added, "but we're a broadcaster. Everything is still within the restraints of our standards and practices."

The "2 Broke Girls" leads, Kat Dennings and Beth Behr, play waitresses who interact with a multi-ethnic group of co-workers and customers at their Brooklyn diner, and the show sometimes tries to draw laughs from broad caricatures.

Tassler defended the diner scenes as an "equal opportunity offender," but said the show has asked King to add more dimension to the characters.

"Our dialogue with Michael is yes, continue to dimensionalize, continue to get more specific, continue to build them out," she said.

In a panel for "2 Broke Girls," however, King initially denied that Tassler had asked him to make characters more dimensional, before acknowledging that she had.

"You're asking me if I was asked by Nina to change the show to make the characters more dimensional? No.

The characters are dimensional, and they're seen in segments of 21 minutes, which limits the amount of dimension you can see."

Questioned further, he later clarified: "Nina has always said dimensionalize the characters."

Demonstrating his fondness for ethnic stereotypes, he asked if your humble correspondent was Irish (Editor's note: Mostly, yes) -- and joked, "So we've identified your sexual problem." (Editor's note: No comment.)

He said his show was "a big, ballsy comedy, but it has a bigger heart than it has balls."

He defended the Asian character Han Lee, saying "I like Han, I like his character, I like that fact that he's an immigrant." He said the last three episodes of the show haven't made any Asian jokes, only short jokes.

"I'm gay. I'm putting in gay stereotypes every week. I find it comic to take everybody down."

'Person of Interest': CBS chief on Carter's increased role, Season 2 prospects

'Person of Interest': CBS chief on Carter's increased role, Season 2 prospects

CBS professes to be "extremely pleased" with the performance of its first-year drama "Person of Interest" -- which is not to say the network has been completely hands-off in its growth.

"We love all the characters. The Reese [Jim Caviezel]-Finch [Michael Emerson] relationship was really starting to take off," CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler said Wednesday (Jan. 11) at the TV critics' press tour. "But the Carter [Taraji P. Henson] character was somewhat marginalized" early in the season.

Tassler says the network met with creator and showrunner Jonah Nolan to ask about bringing Carter more into the center of the show -- "into the superhero cave," as she puts it.

"It was a plan they had in place, but more for the end of the season," Tassler relates. "We asked if they were open to moving it up, and as you now can see, Carter is ... sort of the Commissioner Gordon. We felt that was a key ingredient to letting the show build and expand."

Tassler also says she has "high hopes" for the future of "Person of Interest" but hasn't made any decision on a second season yet. It's among the better-rated new dramas of the season, drawing a little under 13 million viewers per week and a respectable 3.1 rating in adults 18-49, so a renewal is probably at least a decent bet at this point.

A&E's New Original Series "Shipping Wars" Premiere Watched by Three Million Viewers

A&E's New Original Series "Shipping Wars" Premiere Watched by Three Million Viewers

The premiere of A&E's newest original series entrant, "Shipping Wars," was watched by three million viewers with back-to-back episodes at 9:00PM and 9:30PM on Tuesday, January 10, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals.

The episodes, which averaged 3.0 million total viewers and 1.6 million adults 18-49 and 25-54, also grew from the 9:00PM episode to the 9:30PM episode among adults 25-54 (1.5 million to 1.6 million) and remained steady with adults 18-49.

Each episode of "Shipping Wars" dives into the cutthroat world of heavy-duty movers as they battle for the chance to transport the unshippable. The competition begins with uShip, the world's largest online auction house for independent truckers. Every day, thousands of shipments are put up for auction. The battle is fierce as the movers have only minutes to bid, and the lowest bidder gets the load. From oversized loads and bulky packages to the truly bizarre, these shippers will haul anything if the price is right. The high-stakes race is on as they set out to deliver the loads in time, and any setback can cost big bucks.

"Shipping Wars" is produced by Megalomedia for A&E Network. Executive producer is Jonathan Nowzaradan. Co-executive producers are Tom Mireles, Jeff Keels and Graham Davidson. A&E executive producers are David McKillop, Elaine Frontain Bryant and Neil A. Cohen.

The Killing Boss Reveals When Audiences Will Really Find Out Who Killed Rosie Larsen

The Killing Boss Reveals When Audiences Will Really Find Out Who Killed Rosie Larsen

It's officially official: Viewers will find out who killed poor Rosie Larsen at the end of The Killing's second season, according to Written By magazine.

This is slightly more specific than what the series' executive producer Veena Sud  has said before, that the killer would be revealed during the course of Season 2, which would also introduce a new murder case.

AMC responds to The Killing finale backlash

AMC's homicide drama faced considerable backlash last summer when the first season ended on a cliff-hanger without revealing who had killed the Seattle teenager.  Many of the fans spewed their anger online, and Sud told the magazine, "I started to realize I shouldn't read it, because I shouldn't get swept up too much in either the very good or the very bad, because then it'll start exerting maybe a subconscious influence on how we write, or the story direction... This is not a committee thing."

The Killing, which earned six Emmy nominations for its freshman season, will return for a second 13-episode season in the spring on AMC.

American Idol Scotty McCreery's Clear As Day Album Goes Platinum

American Idol Scotty McCreery's Clear As Day Album Goes Platinum

Scotty McCreery's post-American Idol career is off to a strong start.

The reality show champ's debut album, Clear As Day, has gone platinum after only being released in October, USA Today reports.

"Never in a million years did I dream that the album would go platinum in three months," McCreery said in a statement. "Never in a million years did I dream that the album would go platinum. It's wild! It's going to take me a few months or years to really wrap my head around it."

Clear As Day has sold 856,000 copies and shipped more than one million. His current single is "The Trouble With Girls."

Did The Situation Admit 'Jersey Shore' Is Staged?

Did The Situation Admit 'Jersey Shore' Is Staged?

Now that "Jersey Shore" is in the midst of its fifth season and the show's tidal wave of absurd popularity has crested, TV viewers have started to wonder what happens behind the scenes of the simultaneously beloved and reviled reality show.

One question fans have continuously asked since the show went to Italy is whether some of The Situation's drama-creating antics -- particularly his obsession with his alleged off-season hook-up with Snooki -- were scripted attempts to create juicy storylines. In an interview on "Live! With Kelly" (weekdays on ABC) The Situation came pretty close to admitting that at least some of "Jersey Shore" is staged.

After guest host Boomer Esiason felt up The Situation's infamous Situation (a.k.a. his abs), the two joked that the reality star had them insured, which is where the conversation got interesting. Talking about the insurance company, The Situation said, "I had to tell them that whatever they see on TV was a little, uh, ya know ..." before trailing off. "Staged!" Kelly Ripa interjected. "Yeah," he replied, before quickly clarifying that he was only "joking." Unfortunately, before Ripa could ask any follow-up questions, Esiason sidetracked the conversation by marveling at the amount of gel The Situation had in his hair.

Still, the exchange raises questions about the way "Jersey Shore" is filmed and produced. Late in 2011, blogger Sean Klitzner posted a video of a Deena-Snooki bar brawl in Italy, citing evidence at the producer had instigated it. Was the massive brawl between Ronnie, The Situation and the wall choreographed like a WWF match? It remains unclear for now, but the next time we see a flying bottle whiz past The Situation's head, we'll be wondering if a producer threw it.

CBS Chief Nina Tassler: 'We Had an Amazing Year'

CBS Chief Nina Tassler: 'We Had an Amazing Year'

CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler said the network has had an "amazing" and "phenomenal" year, and that holding onto the top spot on network television is in some ways even harder than earning it.

Tassler spoke Wednesday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. Her assessment stood in contrast to NBC chief Bob Greenblatt's assessment of his fourth place network -- he bluntly told critics on Friday, "We had a really bad fall."

Among CBS's successes this season, as enumerated by Tassler: It remains the top network in total viewers, it leads in the crucial 18-49 demographic, it successfully recast the leads of "Two and a Half Men" and "CSI," and had a new hit with "Two Broke Girls."

"We had an amazing year. We had a phenomenal year," Tassler said. "We are very proud of the success this year."

The if-it-ain't broke network is introducing only one new show for midseason, the Rob Schneider sitcom "Rob."

Patrick Dempsey: I'll Stay On 'Grey's Anatomy' If I Can Still Race Cars

Patrick Dempsey: I'll Stay On 'Grey's Anatomy' If I Can Still Race Cars

Patrick Dempsey is keeping the McDreamy dream alive.

The actor, who has played neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd for eight seasons on "Grey's Anatomy," will have his contract expire at the end of this season.

And though there was a touch-and-go point about his future on the ABC medical drama, he told TV Guide in December that he would continue working on "Grey's" if he could also still take part in car racing and some new movie roles.

But on Jan. 8 at the Daytona International Speedway where Dempsey was testing his car for a Grand-AM race latter this month, it seemed like he was getting closer to a done deal. Dempsey explained it was really the racing that mattered most. He told reporters, via People: "The biggest point for me in negotiations is getting time off to come race, so if I don't miss races, I'll probably stay on 'Grey's Anatomy.'"

Dempsey, who added that racing is his "real passion," explained that, as for "Grey's," "We're certainly talking about the future ... Hopefully we can work out a deal."

Ellen Pompeo, Dempsey's on-screen wife, will also see her contract expire at the end of Season 8. "I would never turn up my nose at 'Grey's,'" she said in October of her future on the show. "If I hear from the fans that they want us to keep going, then I would continue because we owe them everything."

"Grey's Anatomy" airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.

New Star Wars TV show details revealed

New Star Wars TV show details revealed

It’s hardly a secret that one of George Lucas’ masterplans is a live action Star Wars television series. He’s unlikely to make new Star Wars films again, and so this seems like the live action future for the franchise.

It’s believed that Lucas’ plan would be to fund the production of the show himself, and when he has a season in the can, to shop it around to interested parties. And producer Rick McCallum has revealed one or two details about the current state of play with the show.

He’s confirmed that it’s very much still on the agenda, although there’s still a problem with containing the budget to a reasonable degree. Furthermore, the plan, he reaffirms, is to set the show between Revenge Of The Sith and A New Hope.

50 one-hour long episodes have already been written for the show (we understand that Matthew Graham is one of the writers on the series), “Each one hour episode is bigger than any of the prequels were”, he said, but the working budget of $5m an episode isn't enough to bring it to the screen yet. George Lucas continues to wait for the price of the necessary effects work to become affordable.

McCallum's interview, which he gave to IGN, shows little sign of urgency towards the project, and it's not a series you can say with any certainty is definitely going to happen. It just appears to be very much on the to-do list.

Oh, and we have a working title. It’s Star Wars: Underworld. Make of that what you will…