Louis Walsh: 'Simon Cowell talking to Britney Spears for X Factor USA'

Louis Walsh: 'Simon Cowell talking to Britney Spears for X Factor USA'

Louis Walsh has revealed details on the upcoming runs of The X Factor UK and The X Factor USA.

Back in December, Walsh wrapped the recent ITV series of X Factor with fellow judges Tulisa Contostavlos, Gary Barlow and Kelly Rowland, and host Dermot O'Leary.

Speaking on Craig Doyle Live, Walsh spoke about the future of the UK judging panel, casting doubt over the future of Rowland.

He said: "I don't know. OK, I think I'll be back, I think Gary will be back. I think Tulisa will be back. Dermot's definitely back!

"I'm not sure about Kelly. I'm not sure. No-one is contracted guys. I loved Nicole Scherzinger."

Doyle then pressed Walsh on whether that meant Scherzinger would be joining the ITV show, to which Walsh immediately said: "No, honestly not."

However, Walsh did tease what could be happening in the US version of the singing competition.

"I was out with Simon Cowell during the week, he's in London," he said. "You know like you do and I know he is talking to Britney. He's definitely talking to Britney to do his American show. Absolutely true!"

Cowell previously said that Spears would enjoy judging X Factor USA.

Paralympics 2012 coverage on Channel 4 to be fronted by Adam Hills

Paralympics 2012 coverage on Channel 4 to be fronted by Adam Hills

Comedian Adam Hills has joined the Channel 4 team for its coverage of the London 2012 Paralympics.

Hills, who previously covered the Beijing Paralympics for ABC in Australia, will work alongside Clare Balding, basketball medallist Ade Adepitan and T4's Rick Edwards. Hills was born without a right leg and has a prosthetic replacement.

British triple jump athletics star Jonathan Edwards has signed up for the commentary team, while Jon Snow will front the opening and closing ceremonies.

Channel 4 vowed when they won the rights to the Paralympics that half of their presenters would be disabled.

Other anchors and presenters signed up include Irish TV star Daráine Mulvihill, former Royal Marine Arthur Williams, Paralympic swimmer Rachael Latham, wheelchair basketball player Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, ex carpenter Martin Dougan, researcher Liam Holt and sports writer Alex Brooker.

Channel 4 controller Jay Hunt claimed that it was a "huge privilege" for Channel 4 to broadcast the Paralympic Games 2012 and described it as a chance to "make a difference to the perception of disability and disability sport".

"I'm thrilled to announce this brilliant and carefully selected team of presenters and reporters; a mix of broadcasting heavyweights and new faces including disabled talent," said Hunt.

"Our coverage will contain in-depth analysis and intelligent, frank and thought-provoking insight from people who are equipped to bring these incredible but little-understood sports to a broad mainstream audience and help us to make this the biggest Paralympic Games ever.

"We will be on air before the sport of the day begins and until the last flag has been rolled up and put away with all the action, expert comment and analysis and specially commissioned breakfast and tea time shows.

"This is a 400% increase on the coverage the Paralympics has ever received in this country and will make it impossible to ignore."

Channel 4 is promising that the Paralympics will be the biggest broadcasting event in its history and the 150 hours of coverage will be the most ever on British television for the Paralympics.

'The Voice' is derivative, says ITV exec Adam Crozier

'The Voice' is derivative, says ITV exec Adam Crozier

ITV's chief executive Adam Crozier has taken a swipe at BBC One's new Saturday night entertainment show The Voice.

In a discussion about entertainment formats, Crozier claimed that he was looking for a new programme that moved away in style from hits such as Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor.

"Of course Britain's Got Talent and X Factor are important programmes on the entertainment side," Crozier told journalists.

"A lot of these shows have been running for some time and it is sensible to look at new ideas. The last two or three years there really hasn't been anything new around. Probably only The Voice and even that is a derivative of some of the shows around."

He added: "In the last 10 to 15 years there has not been that many breakthrough ideas. It is the way you craft things and put them together that makes the difference."

Crozier has invested around £12.5 million in ITV Studios to fund the production of pilots in the search for a new entertainment show success for the broadcaster.

BBC One controller Danny Cohen defended his channel's investment in musical reality series The Voice at the Edinburgh TV Festival last year. Cohen claimed that the battle he had with ITV1 for the rights to the show justified the sizable cost of the show.

"The fact that ITV tried very hard to get it - even though they've got The X Factor - suggests that they feel this show is different enough," he said.

The Voice launches in March on BBC One and is expected to go head-to-head in the schedule with Britain's Got Talent.

'Batman Begins' star Linus Roache joins ABC sci-fi pilot

'Batman Begins' star Linus Roache joins ABC sci-fi pilot

Linus Roache has joined a new ABC drama pilot from Independence Day's Roland Emmerich.

The project focuses on Carter (Max Thieriot), a science student who learns that he is the chosen one to destroy the forces of evil.

Batman Begins star Roache will play Senator Teras, an enigmatic politician with ambitions for the White House, according to Deadline.

The actor played Michael Cutter on Law & Order from 2008 to 2010 and recently reprised the role on spinoff Law & Order: SVU.

He will next be seen in ITV's Titanic, from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.

Veteran actor Martin Landau was previously cast in Emmerich's pilot. The North by Northwest star will play blind German ex-soldier Mr Armin.

Emmerich will direct and also co-wrote his new pilot with 2012 and 10,000 BC collaborator Harald Kloser.

Other drama pilots picked up by ABC include Shawn Ryan's Last Resort with Robert Patrick and Glee's Max Adler and supernatural thriller 666 Park Avenue starring Lost's Terry O'Quinn and Charlie's Angels actress Rachael Taylor.

'Game of Thrones' Alfie Allen: 'My mum was shocked by lesbian scenes'

'Game of Thrones' Alfie Allen: 'My mum was shocked by lesbian scenes'

Alfie Allen has revealed that he avoids watching Game of Thrones with his parents to escape embarrassment during the show's explicit sex scenes.

Allen, who appeared nude in the first season of the George R R Martin fantasy adaptation, admitted that on the one occasion he did watch the show with his parents, his mother Alison was taken aback by the sexual antics.

"We don't watch it together as a family," said Allen. "There was one time where I was with my mum and accidentally watched it.

"Ros (Esmé Bianco) was involved in a really graphic lesbian sex scene and my mum was just so shocked. That was pretty funny. We don't watch it together anymore though, that's for sure."

He also said that he was loving being an uncle following the birth of his sister Lily's first child Ethel last November.

"Oh, it's great. I'm as hands-on as I can be," he said.

"But new mums are very protective of their newborn babies, as you'd expect them to be. [Lily] is just loving it and she's doing great. They're all doing really well."

Teasing his expanded role as Theon Greyjoy in the second season of Thrones, the 25-year-old said: "I basically get sent back to Pike to form an alliance with my family. Things go kind of alright for him, but he has a big identity crisis. When he meets the Starks, he's tried to be a Stark, but now he's back with the Greyjoys he has to prove to them that he is a Greyjoy.

"So he makes lots of wrong decisions trying to prove himself. I think we can all relate to that."

Game of Thrones's second season starts on April 1 on HBO in the US and on April 2 on Sky Atlantic in the UK.

'Big Fat Gypsy Weddings' beats 'Prisoners' Wives' in 9pm hour

'Big Fat Gypsy Weddings' beats 'Prisoners' Wives' in 9pm hour

Big Fat Gypsy Weddings recovered from last week's dip by winning the 9pm hour last night, according to overnight data.

The Channel 4 programme, which suffered against the Brit Awards seven days earlier, attracted 4.22m (17.6%) beating Prisoners' Wives (4.05m/169%).

Gypsy Weddings took an extra 948k (5.6%) on timeshift, once again ending up as the most-watched multichannel show of the night.

Elsewhere on Channel 4, Supersize v Superskinny drew 2.31m (10.3%) from 8pm and Shameless continued with 1.65m (9.9%) in the 10pm hour.

Without the Brit Awards, ITV1 once again struggled on Tuesday night with The Exit List and The Biggest Loser taking 1.55m (6.9%) and 2.21m (9.3%) respectively. A further 168k (1%) caught The Biggest Loser on +1.

Meanwhile, BBC Two aired Alex Polizzi: The Fixer (2.17m/9.6%) and Horizon (2.9m/12.1%).

On Channel 5, Body of Proof's penultimate episode of season one grabbed 1.43m (6%) from 9pm and an instalment of The True Story at 8pm averaged 1.14m (5.1%).

Overall, BBC One convincingly won primetime with 22.8%. ITV1 came second with 11.8% (+1: 0.5%), though Channel 4's 10.7% was backed up by a considerably stronger timeshift rating of 1.7%.

BBC Two had 9% and Channel 5 ended up with 4.7%.

On ITV2, a new Vampire Diaries episode drew 389k (1.6%) from 9pm and an additional 115k (0.7%) on +1.

Meat Loaf on 'Glee': 'I'll never put it down'

Meat Loaf on 'Glee': 'I'll never put it down'

Meat Loaf has said that he would never disrespect Glee.

The singer told that despite not even watching the 2010 Rocky Horror episode in which he starred, he had no problem with the show reinterpreting songs from the past.

"I don't think anything of it, if people like it and they enjoy it," he said. "They have viewers and the people who watch it really love it.

"To me anything is viable. I don't like all kinds of music but that doesn't mean it's not viable. I'm never going to put it down. Was I a fan of disco? Not particularly. But that didn't mean I wouldn't be respectful to the artist."

Meat Loaf continued: "Would I buy a Picasso? No, I don't like that, I'm into impressionistic art. But people love Picasso. What am I gonna do, cut him up?

"Everybody likes something different and that's what makes the world different and go around."

He added of his own career: "At least I've never been mediocre. People either love me or they hate me. And that's fine. I'd rather be to the extreme because that's the kind of artist I am."

Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry to perform on 'American Idol'

Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry to perform on 'American Idol'

Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry will perform on a special edition of American Idol next month.

American Idol's March 15 instalment will feature former contestants returning to the series to promote their latest albums, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Lambert and Daughtry will be joined by season 10 rocker James Durbin and country music sensation Lauren Alaina, who finished as runner-up in 2011.

Daughtry will unveil his new single 'Outta My Head', which features on his US top ten album Break The Spell.

Last night's American Idol episode saw the Top 13 boys perform on the first live show of the season. The girls will get their chance to shine on tonight's show.

American Idol continues tonight (Wednesday) at 8/7c on Fox

'Strictly' Craig Revel Horwood: 'Alesha Dixon was not very BBC'

'Strictly' Craig Revel Horwood: 'Alesha Dixon was not very BBC'

Strictly Come Dancing's Craig Revel Horwood has mocked his former co-star Alesha Dixon following her defection to ITV1's Britain's Got Talent, claiming that the popstar was "not very BBC One".

Dixon announced at the start of the year that she was quitting Strictly for a spot alongside Simon Cowell on a revamped Got Talent.

Horwood confessed that he had no idea Dixon was leaving the series, but joked that her drunken behaviour on Alan Carr's chatshow should have been an indicator that she was exiting the BBC.

"We did Alan Carr's Chatty Man together. Bruno [Tonioli], Alesha and I did it. She got absolutely hammered on the show and was drinking out of the bottle," said Horwood.

"I was like, 'This is not very BBC One, darling!' And I was right - it was more ITV behaviour! Setting it all up. Getting lower to the gutter."

Horwood, who was speaking at the launch of BBC Two classical music series Maestro, revealed that he had given suggestions for a replacement judge, but said that ultimately the BBC would make the decision.

"It would be interesting if we did get casting approval, but sadly, we don't. I'm just a pawn in the chess game and I'm waiting for the queen to be cast," he said.

Horwood did confirm that he would be back for the next series of the ballroom reality show, adding: "I'm not going anywhere."

'Geordie Shore' Vicky defends Ricci over brawl: 'He didn't start it'

'Geordie Shore' Vicky defends Ricci over brawl: 'He didn't start it'

Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison has defended boyfriend and co-star Ricci Guarnaccio's aggressive behaviour on last night's show.

The latest edition of the MTV series concluded with Guarnaccio throwing a glass and launching himself at fellow cast member Gary Beadle in an apparently unprovoked attack.

However, Pattison has since claimed on Twitter that footage of the clash was edited to portray her partner in a negative light.

"Unfortunately it seems as though they have chosen nt2 show what the argument was over on lnyts show," she wrote. "Shame but not surprising! #teamricci

"Oh and another thing.. No matter how it was edited, ricci did not start it and it was not just because he was drunk.. #morethanmeetstheeye."

Pattison also denied that she was still with her previous boyfriend when she started dating Guarnaccio, as last night's Geordie Shore suggested.

"I had broken up with dan ages before lastnights episode," she insisted. "But again with careful editing I'm being made to look like sumthin I'm nt.."

The couple are known to have fought during filming of Geordie Shore's online spinoff in January, with Pattinson apparently throwing Guarnaccio's clothes out of their hotel window afterwards.

Geordie Shore continues Tuesday (March 6) at 10pm on MTV.

Matthew Morrison 'feels trapped' on 'Glee': 'I can't get out of it'

Matthew Morrison 'feels trapped' on 'Glee': 'I can't get out of it'

Glee star Matthew Morrison has reportedly said that he is "frustrated" about being "trapped" on the show for another four seasons.

The actor and singer admitted that he had no idea about the scale of the Fox programme, or the limitations it would impose on his career, when he signed up to play Will Schuester.

"It's not ending any time soon," The Mirror quotes him as saying. "Once they have you, they trap you. I'm tied in to seven years - I signed up to seven years and I cannot get out of it.

"I have a really good lawyer but there's nothing we can do - I've had offers recently for a few really cool movies but had to turn them down. It's so frustrating.

"None of us realised when we signed up it'd turn into this - we thought it was just a show about kids singing and dancing... I literally cannot get out of it. It's a great show, it provided me with my big break, but what can I do?"

Morrison released his self-titled debut album last year and has signed to Adam Levine's label 222 Records for his new LP.

He will appear alongside the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz and Cheryl Cole in What To Expect When You're Expecting, released on May 18 in the US and May 23 in the UK.

Glee airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Fox in the US and Thursdays at 9pm on Sky1 in the UK.

'Harry Potter', 'Hugo', 'Breaking Bad' lead Saturn Award nominations

'Harry Potter', 'Hugo', 'Breaking Bad' lead Saturn Award nominations

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 and Hugo have led the nominations for the 2012 Saturn Awards.

The movies are competing in a total of ten categories, including 'Best Fantasy Film', where they are up against Immortals, Thor, The Muppets and Midnight In Paris.

Super 8 - which will face Captain America: The First Avenger, Limitless, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and X-Men: First Class for 'Best Science Fiction Film' - is next with eight nominations.

Fast Five, The Lincoln Lawyer, Red Tails, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Brad Bird's Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and Steven Spielberg's War Horse are up for 'Best Action/Adventure Film'.

Spielberg and Bird will go head to head with Martin Scorsese (Hugo), JJ Abrams (Super 8) Rupert Wyatt (Apes) and David Yates (Harry Potter) for 'Best Director'.

Scorsese will also receive the George Pal Memorial Award "for his brilliant ode to the triumphant spirit of early cinema in Hugo".

In the television categories, AMC's Breaking Bad is the frontrunner with six nominations, while American Horror Story received five.

Torchwood: Miracle Day, Fringe, Game of Thrones, The Killing, Dexter and Leverage all have four nominations.

The Saturn Awards, voted for by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, will be handed out at a ceremony in Burbank on June 20.

Dane Cook Takes a Spin at DJ Pilot For NBC

Dane Cook Takes a Spin at DJ Pilot For NBC

Dane Cook is taking his act to the small screen.

The "Good Luck Chuck" star has signed on to star in the NBC comedy pilot "Next Caller Please," which will be executive-produced by "Weeds" veteran Stephen Falk.

Cook will play Cam, a "a brash alpha male DJ" at a satellite radio station who's paired with a "plucky, feminist co-host." "Hot Tub Time Machine" actress Colette Wolfe and "Men of a Certain Age" vet Joy Osmanski co-star.

The comedian signed an overall deal with the network in September.

Cook recently dipped his toe in the waters of network TV fare with a guest appearance on CBS's "Hawaii 5-0." His upcoming big-screen efforts include the horror comedy "Detention" and the action comedy "Guns, Girls and Gambling."

TV Tonight 1st of March 2012

TV Tonight 1st of March 2012

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

    24 Hour Catwalk S01E09: "Beauty of Nature"
    30 Rock S06E10: "Alexis Goodlooking and the Case of the Missing Whisky"
    American Idol S11E16: "Finalists Chosen"
    Antiques Road Trip S04E14: "Series 4, Episode 14"
    Archer (2009) S03E07: "Crossing Over"
    Awake S01E01: "Pilot"
    Big Brother Sverige S08E11: "Season 8, Episode 11"
    Blik op de weg S27E03: "Season 27, Episode 3"
    Braxton Family Values S02E16: "Bridezilla"
    Celebrity Juice S07E04: "Dougie Poynter, Harry Judd"
    Cleverdicks S01E04: "Episode 4"
    Coach Trip S09E24: "Series 9, Day 24"
    Come Dine With Me S18E40: "Series 18, Series 34"
    Conan S02E59: "Steven Ho, Megan Mullally"
    Coronation Street S53E43: "Thu Mar 1, 2012"
    Days of our Lives S47E80: "Ep. #11790"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E173: "Episode 1853"
    Delocated S03E05: "TBA"
    Dickinson's Real Deal S08E63: "Series 8, Episode 63"
    Doctors S13E210: "Last Tango"
    EastEnders S28E36: "March 1, 2012"
    Emmerdale S41E52: "March 1, 2012 [Episode 2]"
    Emmerdale S41E51: "March 1, 2012"
    Fat Chef S01E06: "TBA"
    General Hospital (US) S49E233: "#12507"
    Germany's Next Top Model S07E02: "Folge 2"
    Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden S22E129: "Season 22, Episode 129"
    Golden Goal S12E04: "Season 12, Episode 4"
    Got to Dance S03E59: "Series 3, Episode 59"
    Halv åtta hos mig S08E24: "Malmö - Katarina"
    Holiday Heaven on Earth S01E04: "Episode 4"
    Hollyoaks S18E44: "March 1, 2012"
    Home and Away (AU) S25E29: "Episode 5464"
    Hotel cæsar S28E161: "Season 28, Episode 161"
    House Hunters S48E43: "Outdoor Lovers Buy First Home in Denver"
    House Hunters International S25E46: "Transferring to Taipei, Taiwan"
    I Just Want My Pants Back S01E07: "Season 1, Episode 7"
    Impact Wrestling S08E74: "Season 8, Episode 74"
    Inside Comedy S01E06: "TBA"
    Jeopardy! S28E119: "Show #6324"
    Jersey Shore S05E09: "The Truth Will Set You Free"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E216: "TBA"
    Kidnap & Ransom S02E02: "Series 2, Episode 2"
    Last Call with Carson Daly S10E24
    Late Night with Jimmy Fallon S02E232
    Late Show with David Letterman S19E38
    Leave It To Bryan S01E12: "Reno Shock"
    Live with Regis and Kelly S29E133
    Location Location Location S14E09: "Series 14, Episode 9"
    Masterchef (UK) S16E12: "Series 16, Episode 12"
    Naruto: Shippuuden S11E10: "The Angel of Death"
    Neighbours S28E39: "Episode 6349"
    New Prince of Tennis S01E09: "Progress and Change"
    Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy S01E06: "Tiger with Chlamydia"
    NY Ink S02E10: "TBA"
    Parks and Recreation S04E17: "Campaign Shake-Up"
    Pointless S06E14: "Series 6, Episode 14"
    Pramface S01E02: "Pregnant Rapist"
    Project Runway All-Stars S01E09: "TBA"
    Question Time S32E22: "March 1, 2012"
    Raymond Blanc: The Hungry Frenchman S01E05: "Provence"
    Reguły gry S01E03: "Gry i zabawy"
    Selling New York S04E19: "Moving On"
    Sket Dance S01E47: "Episode 47"
    The 7pm Project S04E43: "Season 4, Episode 43"
    The Bold and the Beautiful S25E242: "Ep. #6272"
    The Chase (2009) S05E23: "Series 5, Episode 23"
    The Colbert Report S08E31: "Claire Danes"
    The Daily Show S17E67: "M. Cathleen Kaveny"
    The Ellen DeGeneres Show S09E112
    The Indian Doctor S02E04: "Series 2, Episode 4"
    The Jeremy Kyle Show S07E119: "March 1, 2012"
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S08E39
    The Office (US) S08E17: "Test The Store"
    The Revolution (2012) S01E34: "Season 1, Episode 34"
    The Rosie Show S01E74: "TBA"
    The Straits S01E06: "The Price"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S19E253
    The View S15E117
    The Young and the Restless S39E240: "Ep. #9855"
    This Week (2003) S10E21: "March 1, 2012"
    Thuis S17E134: "Season 17, Episode 134"
    Tonight with Trevor McDonald S14E08
    Undercover Boss (CA) S01E05: "Cineplex Entertainment"
    Unsupervised S01E07: "The Magic of Science"
    Up All Night (2011) S01E18: "New Boss"
    Watch What Happens: Live S06E38: "TBA"
    White Van Man (2011) S02E02: "The Break Up"
    Wie is... de Mol? S12E09: "Season 12, Episode 9"
    ¡Rob! S01E08: "Dad Comes to Visit"

Margo Martindale, Beau Bridges Join 'Masters of Sex' for Showtime

Margo Martindale, Beau Bridges Join 'Masters of Sex' for Showtime

Emmy winners Beau Bridges and Margo Martindale have joined the cast of Showtime's "Wizards of Sex," about the pioneers of the science of human sexuality.

Beau Bridges and Margo Martindale join Masters of Sex for Showtime

Martindale, who won an Emmy for her work last season on FX's "Justfied," is currently on CBS's struggling supernatural medical drama "A Gifted Man." Bridges just appeared in "The Descendants."

"Masters of Sex" stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as 1960s sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Caitlin Fitzgerald has been cast as Masters’ wife, Libby.

Bridges will play university chancellor Barton Scully, Masters’ boss, while Martindale will guest star as Miss Horchow, his by-the-book secretary. (On "A Gifted Man," she plays right-hand woman to Patrick Wilson's brilliant physician. The show has fared poorly on Friday nights, and made TheWrap's recent list of 6 Shows We Think Are Doomed.)

"Masters of Sex" adapts Thomas Maier's book "Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love." Michelle Ashford (“The Pacific”), Judith Verno, and Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly (“Justified”) are executive producers. Sheen and Tammy Rosen will serve as producers. The show is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

Bridges has received 14 Emmy nominations and won three times. He has received four Golden Globe nomination and won twice. His television credits include "Brothers & Sisters," "Stargate: SG-1," "My Name is Earl," "Desperate Housewives," "Into The West," "Without Warning: The James Brady Story," and Showtime's "Out of the Ashes. " Film credits include "The Fabulous Baker Boys and "Jerry Maguire."

Martindale's TV credits include Showtime's "Dexter," as well as "Lonesome Dove," "Medium," "Hung" and "The Riches." Her film credits include "Million Dollar Baby," "Dead Man Walking," "The Hours," and "Paris, je t'aime." She received a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Big Mama in the revival of Tennessee Williams’ "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

James O'Keefe Sues Current Media, Keith Olbermann and David Shuster for Defamation

James O'Keefe Sues Current Media, Keith Olbermann and David Shuster for Defamation

Conservative journalist/activist James O'Keefe has often been accused of skewing the truth with his work. And now O'Keefe has charged others of doing the same to him.

O'Keefe's hit pieces on Planned Parenthood, ACORN and NPR have made him a hero of the right wing but have gained him a reputation for dishonesty in other circles. Now he's filed a defamation lawsuit against Current Media -- the parent company of Al Gore's Current TV -- as well as "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann, and guest host David Shuster, claiming that he had been falsely branded as a "convicted felon" who had been accused of rape during a December episode of "Countdown."

According to O'Keefe's complaint, which was filed in New Jersey Superior Court, during the December 22, 2011 edition of "Countdown," Olbermann called O'Keefe a convicted felon" on "federal parole after he was charged with [a] felony for attempting to maliciously interfere with Senator [Mary] Landrieu's office telephone system in New Orleans."

The suit further claims that on the Feb. 24, 2012 edition of "Countdown," guest host Shuster stated that there is a "rape allegation facing...conservative activist...James O'Keefe."

In actual fact, O'Keefe's lawsuit claims, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of entering a federal building under false pretenses in connection with the Landrieu incident, and an investigation did not uncover any evidence that O'Keefe and his cohorts actually intended to tamper with Landrieu's phones.

With regard to the rape claim, the lawsuit notes that a harassment complaint filed by O'Keefe's associate Nadia Naffe -- the seeming origin of the rape allegation -- was dismissed by a judge on Dec. 21, and that Naffe had not charged that O'Keefe made physical contact with or raped her.

A current TV spokesperson told TheWrap that she had no information of import about the suit.

O'Keefe is no stranger to defamation lawsuits; in January, he filed a complaint against the New Jersey Star-Ledger, claiming that the paper had also falsely accused O'Keefe of committing a felony by "fraudulently obtaining a ballot in the name of another person: and violated New Hampshire law "by recording another person."

Ratings: 'American Idol' Wins Big for Fox as 'Cougar Town,' 'The River' Hit Lows

Ratings: 'American Idol' Wins Big for Fox as 'Cougar Town,' 'The River' Hit Lows

Airing on a special night, "American Idol" led Fox to an easy ratings win as ABC's "Cougar Town" and "The River," hit series lows Tuesday, according to preliminary numbers.

Airing from 8 to 10 p.m., "Idol" saw a 10 percent dropoff from last Wednesday's episode but still posted the night's top ratings, a 5.0 rating/13 share in the adults 18-49 demographic. It drew 15.8 million total viewers. Fox was the top-rated and most-watched network of the night, and "Idol" the top-rated show, though not the most-watched. Last week, its Thursday episode earned the show's lowest ratings since its first season in 2002.

CBS was second in ratings and total viewers with an average 2.8/7 in the demo and 14.5 million. "NCIS" at 8 dipped slightly from last week to hit a season low of 3.4/9 in the demo, with 18 million total viewers, which made it the most-watched program of the night. "NCIS: LA" the following hour bounced back from last week's season low with a 15 percent increase in the demo to take a 3.1/8 with 15.7 million total viewers. "Unforgettable" at 10 saw a modest decline and hit a season low of 1.9/5 in the demo, with 9.9 million total viewers.

NBC came in third in ratings and fourth in total viewership with an average 2.0/5 in the demo and 5.5 million. "The Biggest Loser" at 8 dropped 13 percent from last week to hit a season low of 2.0/5 in the demo and 5.7 million total viewers, while the "Parenthood" season finale at 10 grew 12 percent for a 1.9/5 in the demo with 5.1 million total viewers.

ABC was fourth place in ratings and third in viewers with an average 1.6/4 in the demo 5.6 million. "Last Man Standing" at 8 saw a modest decline from last week to hit a series low of 2.1/6 and 7.4 million total viewers. At 8:30, "Cougar Town," which returned to the air with a series low earlier this month, dropped 12 percent from last week to hit a new nadir of 1.5/4 in the demo. It had 4.3 million total viewers. "The River" at 9, which premiered to discouraging numbers in early February, also hit a series low, dropping 12 percent to a 1.5/4 in the demo and 4 million total viewers. The night closed with "Body of Proof" at 10, which slipped 13 percent from last week for a 1.3/4 in the demo and 6.7 million total viewers.

How to Sell a TV Show: Have Tricks Up Your Sleeve

How to Sell a TV Show: Have Tricks Up Your Sleeve

Selling a TV show isn’t that easy. Selling a show that centers on close-up magic and doesn’t star David Blaine is exponentially harder. Thankfully, I am not thwarted by a hard sale -- or using the word thwarted in an opening paragraph.

I'm a TV and film executive, and was introduced to two close-up magicians through a friend of a friend. I end up meeting a lot of people this way, and my advice is to take meetings. At the very least you may have some interesting conversations, and at the very best you may walk away with a new contact and a potential lead.

Up until meeting the magicians I was not a fan of magic, nor had I ever even seen it performed live. Also, from a sales perspective, I was pretty certain that none of the cable networks were chomping at the bit to buy a close-up magic show.

Nonetheless, we met. And almost immediately I saw a quirky, unique dynamic between the two of them. They were young, they had never held normal jobs, they were best friends, and they had amazing skills. (At least I thought they did, as I had no basis for comparison.)

Refreshingly, they were also not cheesy, polyester suits, rabbit-out-of hat type guys either. Just normally dressed, hip guys you wouldn’t expect to be magicians.

We agreed to work together and I found myself with two moldable, egoless, interesting and talented characters to build a show around.

I developed a concept and crafted a written treatment for a show that was to be a non-scripted buddy-road-trip series where the guys roam through cities and towns performing magic and looking for local magicians along the way. A point worth noting: The development of this show cost me nothing but my time.

I set up pitch meetings at five cable networks and began the daunting task of selling a magic show with two unknowns. The odds were heavily stacked against me.

Sidebar: I want to make clear that in addition to this magic show, at that time, I had about five other projects in different stages of development. My advice is never, ever have just one project. A good way to beat the odds is to play multiple hands!

My pitch strategy was to forgo the typical presentation tape and rely on the power of a live performance. I was going to have these guys perform close-up magic, face-to-face with the buyer at the top of each pitch meeting. I did not utter a word.

Cut to a phone call I got from A&E that took me from my apartment to the hills of Tandil, Argentina, with a crew of 13 to shoot a special where we were tracking down an 80 year-old, one-armed close-up magician. Along with the special, they picked up eight standalone series episodes of the show, called "Mondo Magic."

It debuted in 2004.

Take meetings. Talk to people. Hear ideas. Don’t go off of network mandates, because a lot of the time they don’t know what they want until they see it. And most of all, follow your gut and take risks.

Who knows? Maybe you’ll make magic happen, like I did.

Development Update: 1st of March

Development Update: 1st of March

666 PARK AVENUE (ABC) - Rachael Taylor ("Charlie's Angels") has scored the female lead on the drama pilot, about a young couple who accept an offer to manage one of the most historic apartment buildings in New York City where they begin to experience supernatural occurrences. She'll play Jane Van Veen, one half of the aforementioned couple, joining the previously cast Dave Annable as her boyfriend Henry Martin and Terry O'Quinn as the building's owner Gavin Doran. Alex Graves is helming the Warner Bros. Television-based hour off a script by David Wilcox. (THR.com)

ANTICHRIST (ABC) - Linus Roache ("Law & Order") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Carter Henderson (Max Thieriot), an astrophysics grad student who learns that he is the chosen one to destroy the forces of evil. He's on board as John Daniel Teras, a New York Senator who's the target of an assassination attempt. Gabriella Wilde, Martin Landau and Yaya DaCosta co-star in the ABC Studios-based hour, from co-creators Harald Kloser and Roland Emmerich. (Deadline.com)

BAD GIRLS (NBC) - John Dahl ("Shameless") has signed on to direct the pilot, a drama which follows the ins and outs of a group of unlikely women at a federal correctional institute. He'll work from a script by Nancy Pimental for the Warner Bros. Television-based John Wells Productions. Jurnee Smollett, Rick Gonzalez and Zoe Boyle co-star in the ensemble. (THR.com)

EL JEFE (FOX) - Ana Nogueira and Victor Rasuk have both landed roles on the comedy pilot, about Josh Turkus (Ryan Hansen), a rich layabout who gets booted out of his parents' house and moves in Delmi Rodriguez, his longtime housekeeper, and her family. They'll play Delmi's kids - the neglected Maria ("no matter how hard this fiercely competitive doctor-in-residence tries to impress her mother, it always falls short") and the golden child Al ("a 30-year-old gardener who now owns and runs his deceased father's landscaping business"). Director Michael Patrick Jann and co-creators David Guarascio and Moses Port are behind the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour. (Deadline.com)

GO ON (NBC) - Suzy Nakamura ("Men of a Certain Age") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about Ryan King (yet to be cast), an irreverent yet charming sportscaster who finds surprising solace from the members of his mandatory group therapy sessions. She'll play one of them, "a Mercury-in-retrograde-announcing bummer, and sycophant to the group leader's Lauren; here because parents are getting a divorce." Julie White also stars in the Universal Television-based half-hour, from writer Scott Silveri and director Todd Holland. (Deadline.com)

GOTHAM (ABC) - British actor Barry Sloane has been tapped as the male lead on the drama pilot, about Annie Travers (yet to be cast), a cop who, after pursuing a seemingly unsolvable case, discovers a magical world that exists within New York City. He'll play Boyo ("unkempt but clean; no stranger to a fight - as winner or loser; an Old World feel about him"), her guide through said world. Director Francis Lawrence and writer Michael Green are behind the hour, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television. (Deadline.com)

LADY FRIENDS (NBC) - Josh Hopkins ("Cougar Town") and Tymberlee Hill ("Grey's Anatomy") have both been cast in the comedy pilot, about two longtime female friends who are living very different lives - Nicole (Andrea Anders) has a loving husband and family, Jen (yet to be cast) not so much - but couldn't live without each other. Hopkins - whose casting is in second position to the ABC comedy - will play Nicole's husband Rob ("smart, handsome and a good sport, but there's a limit"), while Hill will play Nicole's friend, a mother of three. Danny Comden and Rachel Dratch also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, to be directed by Scott Ellis. (Deadline.com)

LAST RESORT (ABC) - Bruce Davison, Omid Abtahi, Max Adler and Matt Gerald have all been cast in the drama pilot, about the crew of a nuclear submarine, who, after disobeying a suspicious order become fugitives and declare themselves an independent nuclear nation. Davison is believed to be playing Admiral Arthur Shepard ("the old warhorse now working in the Pentagon; an excellent moral compass to go with the guts of a burglar"), a friend and mentor to Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) and the father of Lieutenant Grace Shepard (Daisy Betts). The other roles weren't specified. Autumn Reeser, Camille de Pazzis, Daniel Lissing, Dichen Lachman, Robert Patrick, Sahr Ngaujah and Scott Speedman also star. Martin Campbell is directing from a script by Shawn Ryan and Karl Gajdusek for Sony Pictures Television. (@ShawnRyanTV)

LIKE FATHER... (FOX) - Erin Daniels ("The L Word") has been cast in the comedy pilot, about Van Lyons (Colin Ferguson), a bombastic dad who, after his wife dies, moves into his son Will's (yet to be cast) campus apartment. She'll play Ali Miller ("goofy, self-deprecating"), Van's wife's best friend. Kevin Michael Martin and Phill Lewis also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, from writer/director Bill Lawrence. (Deadline.com)

NED FOX IS MY MANNY (FOX) - Actor/Oscar-winnng writer Nat Faxon ("The Descendants") has booked the title role on the comedy pilot, about Kate (Abby Elliott), an uptight single mom whose aimless brother Ned (formerly Ben) moves in to help her raise her five-year-old daughter, Maddie (Maggie Jones). Echo Kellum and Lucy Punch also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, from writer Dana Fox and director Jake Kasdan. (Deadline.com)

NOTORIOUS (NBC) - Victor Garber ("Eli Stone") is the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about a female detective who returns undercover to the wealthy family she grew up in - as the maid's daughter - to solve the murder of the notorious heiress who was once her closest friend. He's set as Robert Lawson ("expects immediate obedience from everyone within his circle of family and friends"), the spectacularly wealthy patriarch of the family and CEO of Lawson Pharmaceuticals. Liz Heldens is behind the hour, which comes from the Universal Television-BermanBraun. (Deadline.com)

PRODIGY/BULLY (FOX) - Missi Pyle, Hayley Holmes, Cody Sullivan and Ysa Penajero have all joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about Audie Murphy (yet to be cast), a young boy genius who uses his brains and brawn to get whatever he wants. Pyle will play Audie's mother Celeste ("38, thin, intense, buxom") with Holmes as his sister Jackie ("a 15-year-old girl with no interest in school and biceps bigger than her breasts"). Sullivan then is set as Colby Collins ("a clean-cut and confident cross between JFK and Mickey Mantle"), a fellow gifted student; while Penajero is on board as Heather Kwitkowski-Welch ("pretty, cheerful, poised"), the girl of his dreams. Mike O'Malley also stars as Audie's father Tommy while Peter Segal is directing for Warner Bros. Television. (Deadline.com)

REBOUNDING (FOX) - Matt L. Jones ("Breaking Bad") is the latest to be cast in the comedy pilot, about Danny Markle (yet to be cast), a man recovering from the death of his fiance with help from friends on his pick-up basketball team. He'll play one of said crew, Eli Kaplan ("27, an overweight musician with a Jew-fro, he's sweet, awkward, undyingly loyal"), joining the previously cast Hayes MacArthur and Malcolm Barrett. Jason Winer, Joe Port and Joe Wiseman are all behind the hour, which his set up at 20th Century Fox Television. (Deadline.com)

THE SELECTION (The CW) - Sean Patrick Thomas ("Ringer") has booked a role on the pilot, a drama set 300 years in the future about a poor woman (Aimee Teegarden) who is chosen by lottery to compete to become the next queen of a war-torn nation. He'll play Sylvan Santos, a close advisor to Queen Amberly (yet to be cast) and an expert in all things related to Royal etiquette. Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain are behind the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which also stars Ethan Peck. Mark Piznarski is directing. (THR.com)

UNTITLED JOE KEENAN/SCOTT ELLIS PROJECT (TV Land, New!) - Writer Joe Keenan and director Scott Ellis ("Desperate Housewives") are developing a new comedy at the cable channel about "two adult identical twin brothers, one gay and one straight, who return home and help their mother raise their deceased sister's child." Said half-hour, which Ellis would direct from a script by the duo, is based on personal experience: both Keenan and Ellis are gay and have identical twin brothers who are straight. (Deadline.com)

UNTITLED JOSH BERMAN/ROB WRIGHT PROJECT (FOX) - Jordana Spiro and Jaime Lee Kirchner have both landed roles on the drama pilot, about Grace Delvin, one of Chicago's top young cardiothoracic surgeons who, to save her gambling-indebted brother (Jesse Lee Soffer), is forced to moonlight as a mob doctor. Spiro will play said woman ("street-wise, self-assured, and headstrong") with Kirchner as Olivia Watson ("classically pretty, poised, and a chip on her shoulder"), a fifth year resident at Grace's hospital. (Deadline.com)

UNTITLED KEVIN WILLIAMSON PROJECT (FOX) - Nico Tortorella ("Make It or Break It") has landed a role on the drama pilot, about Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), a diabolical serial killer who uses technology to create a cult of serial killers, and Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), the FBI agent who finds himself in the middle of it. He's set as Will Wilson, a friend and confidant of Sarah Fuller, Carroll's last victim. Marcos Siega is helming the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which also stars Jeananne Goossen, Shawn Ashmore and Valorie Curry. (Deadline.com)