BBC confirms pay TV download service

BBC confirms pay TV download service

BBC television programmes will be available in a new paid download store shortly after first transmission, director general Mark Thompson has confirmed.

The iTunes-style store, codenamed Project Barcelona, will operate in addition to the existing BBC iPlayer window and give users the option to pay for "owned" downloads of new and old TV shows.

Speaking at the Royal Television Society, Thompson said: "BBC iPlayer is the most successful and most intensively used catch-up service in the world but it's true that, after that seven day public service window, a large proportion of what the BBC makes and broadcast is never seen or heard of again.

"On television, despite all of our existing forms of public service archival and commercial windowing, the overwhelming majority of what the BBC commissions and broadcasts becomes unavailable when that iPlayer window expires.

"We want to change that and have started to talk to our partners, including the independent sector and PACT, about a proposal which we will formally submit to the BBC Trust later this year which - for reasons which escape me - we call Project Barcelona.

"The idea behind Barcelona is simple. It is that, for as much of our content as possible, in addition to the existing BBC iPlayer window, another download-to-own window would open soon after transmission - so that if you wanted to purchase a digital copy of a programme to own and keep, you could pay what would generally be a relatively modest charge for doing so."

Thompson addressed concerns that the BBC was seeking to double charge licence fee payers for content by drawing parallels between digital downloads and purchasing physical media in shops.

"This is not a second licence fee by stealth or any reduction in the current public service offering from the BBC - it's the exact analogy of going into a high street shop to buy a DVD or, before that, a VHS cassette," he explained.

"For decades the British public has understood the distinction between watching Dad's Army on BBC One and then going out to buy a permanent copy of it. Barcelona is the digital equivalent of doing the second."

The store's launch is contingent upon the BBC obtaining agreement from programme production companies and the BBC Trust.

HBO Ceases All Future Production on "Luck"

HBO Ceases All Future Production on "Luck"

It is with heartbreak that executive producers David Milch and Michael Mann together with HBO have decided to cease all future production on the series LUCK.

Safety is always of paramount concern. We maintained the highest safety standards throughout production, higher in fact than any protocols existing in horseracing anywhere with many fewer incidents than occur in racing or than befall horses normally in barns at night or pastures. While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won't in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision.

We are immensely proud of this series, the writing, the acting, the filmmaking, the celebration of the culture of horses, and everyone involved in its creation.

Quote from Michael Mann and David Milch: "The two of us loved this series, loved the cast, crew and writers. This has been a tremendous collaboration and one that we plan to continue in the future."

'The Voice' UK, 'Britain's Got Talent' to clash for 20 minutes

'The Voice' UK, 'Britain's Got Talent' to clash for 20 minutes

The Voice UK and Britain's Got Talent will overlap for 20 minutes, it has been confirmed.

The two shows will clash when they both launch on Saturday, March 24.

The rival reality series were originally expected to overlap for 45 minutes.

BBC One's The Voice was pushed forward from its original 7.15pm airtime to 7pm to lessen the overlap, but ITV retaliated by moving Britain's Got Talent from 7.45pm to 7.30pm.

The Got Talent transmission time has now shifted to 8pm, ITV has announced, reducing the overlap once again.

Earlier today, it was alleged that ITV was "clearly worried" by The Voice, which features Jessie J, Danny O'Donoghue, will.i.am and Tom Jones as coaches.

Speaking back in January, Britain's Got Talent boss Simon Cowell admitted that he recognised The Voice as a threat.

Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran and Jaime Murray Join the Cast of Syfy's Groundbreaking Series "Defiance"

Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran and Jaime Murray Join the Cast of Syfy's Groundbreaking Series "Defiance"

Syfy has announced additional casting for its upcoming epic science fiction drama Defiance, inking Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran and Jaime Murray to co-star in the first-ever series to unite television and MMO gaming. The pilot, slated to commence production this April in Toronto, is directed by Scott Stewart (Legion, Priest), and written/executive produced by Rockne O'Bannon (Farscape), Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives, Caprica; Hellcats) & Michael Taylor (Battlestar Galactica). Kevin Murphy serves as showrunner.

Defiance is a visionary enterprise in collaboration with Trion Worlds, with the Syfy series and Trion's multi-platform shooter MMO poised to debut simultaneously. Set in the near future, Defiance introduces a completely transformed planet Earth, inhabited by the survivors of a universal war. Forced to co-habitate, the disparate group struggles to build a new society among the devastation. The dramatic tapestry of the series and the intense action of the game will exist in a single universe where their respective narratives will inform one another and evolve together into one overall story. Defiance is produced by Universal Cable Productions.

Benz portrays Amanda Rosewater, the idealistic mayor of a bustling mining boomtown, one of the world's few oases of civility and inclusion. As the newly appointed mayor, she is determined to maintain peace in the community, an ambitious task in this deadly new world.

Leonidas plays Irisa, an exotically beautiful warrior who is part of an alien race called the Irathients. After Nolan (Bowler) killed her criminal father, he adopted the girl and raised her as his clever - and lethal - right-hand.

Curran will portray Datak Tarr, part of an elite alien race known as the Castithans. Datak grew up in the slums of his home planet, but despite being part of the under-privileged class, he schemed his way onto one of the alien arks, saving himself before his home planet was destroyed.

Murray potrays Datak's beautiful and proper wife, Stahma, a high-ranking Castithan before her home planet ceased to exist. Clever, imaginative and darkly opportunistic, Stahma is perhaps more dangerous than her husband.

The four join New Zealand born actor Grant Bowler, who is well-known for the recurring role on Ugly Betty (2008) as Wilhelmina Slater's love interest, Connor Owens, and for the role of Cooter, the leader of the werewolf biker gang in the HBO series True Blood (2010) and Captain Gault in ABC's Lost (2008). Bowler plays Nolan, the new law keeper in the boomtown and former Marine who fought in the alien conflict. After losing his wife and child in the war, he becomes a wanderer in the dangerous new world, eventually joined by Irisa, a young Irathient he raises as his own and as his lone companion in the lawless badlands.

The versatile and dynamic Benz is known for her wide variety of film and television roles, in 2006 winning a Golden Satellite Award for Best Supporting TV Actress for her role as beloved 'Rita Bennett' on Showtime's award-winning series Dexter. Last fall, Benz recurred on the CBS medical drama A Gifted Man, opposite Patrick Wilson and last spring starred in the ABC series No Ordinary Family, opposite Michael Chiklis. In 2010, she starred on ABC's smash hit Desperate Housewives for a multi-episode arc as "Robin," a stripper with a heart of gold and a master's degree in education. Throughout her career, Benz has won the hearts of many devoted fans starring in an array of genre classics including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Roswell, as well as the Steven Spielberg-produced miniseries for Syfy (then SCI FI Channel), Taken. In addition, she has guest starred on many hit TV shows, among them Royal Pains, Supernatural, CSI and Law and Order. On the big screen, Benz starred in the Roadside Attractions film Answers to Nothing, opposite Dane Cook, which was released in December 2011. Benz also had a great turn with Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets and starred with Rose McGowan, Pam Grier, Judy Greer and Rebecca Gayheart in Jawbreaker, the first of many cult-hits that would soon follow.

British actress Leonidas is known for her many television appearances, most recently in Whitechapel, Eternal Law, and the BBC's Dracula, as well as the award winning ITV film for television Wall of Silence. Stephanie made her film debut in Sally Potter's Yes, followed by Ate de Jongh's Fogbound. Other film credits include the lead role of Helena in David McKean's Mirrormask, Luis Llosa's feature film Feast of the Goat, Ben Sombogaart's Crusade in Jeans: A March through Time, Luna and most recently Andrew Douglas' U Want Me To Kill Him. Stephanie has also appeared on stage in the lead role of Dani in Marianne Elliott's The Sugar Syndrome at the Royal Court, receiving rave reviews, and most recently portrayed Adela in Gadi Roll's House of Bernarda Alba. She is repped by Thruline and ARG in the UK.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Curran rose to fame in the BBC series This Life. Since then, the actor has appeared in a number of major film and television roles including The Invisible Man, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Guillermo de Toro's Blade II. Curran is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Murray is an English-born actress best known for playing Stacie Monroe in the BBC series Hustle and Lila Tournay in season two of the Showtime series, Dexter. She has also had recurring roles as H.G. Wells in Syfy's Warehouse 13, Gaia in the Starz series Spartacus: Gods in the Arena and Olivia Charles in The CW series Ringer.

Ruben Studdard: Mariah Carey Should Be the Next 'X Factor' Judge

Ruben Studdard: Mariah Carey Should Be the Next 'X Factor' Judge

"American Idol" season two victor opens up on "The Wendy Williams Show" about his divorce, fellow "Idol" Clay Aiken and his new album.

Ruben Studdard stopped by The Wendy Williams Show Tuesday morning to promote his fifth album, Letters From Birmingham, and chat it up with the television host about such hot topics as who should judge X-Factor, the truth behind his divorce, his tax problems and Clay Aiken’s chances on NBC’s The Apprentice.

After Williams questioned Studdard about X Factor’s contract negotiations saga with Britney Spears, Studdard said his judge of choice would be: Mariah Carey.

“She wouldn’t pull any punches,” said Studdard, who also name checked former Pop Stars judge David Foster as another choice.

He was congenial about his divorce from his wife of three years, Surata Zuri McCants, rejecting Williams’ theory that McCants expected the high life when she married the Velvet Teddy Bear.

Studdard said the couple was just “two people going in two different directions,” explaining that he wanted a big family and she already had a daughter.

VIDEO: Simon Cowell Addresses 'X Factor' Judges Search, Britney Spears' Potential Deal

He also said that although Studdard and Aiken are perceived as quiet guys, he’s not surprised that Aiken’s sense of humor is shining on The Apprentice, and added that Aiken is an entertaining and funny person, which he learned from living with the singer in the same house during American Idol’s second season, and on tour.

He even said that a production hand on the American Idol tour said that a camera should have been backstage just so people can see how “stupid” Aiken and Studdard really are.

Other revelations: Studdard has regained most of the weight he lost due to stress eating and “kicking it” following his divorce (sweets is his downfall, especially red velvet cake); the title of his single, “June 28,” is the date he got married; he is very single, and is working with his tax attorney to repay the $100,000 in taxes he owes to the IRS.

“I won’t be the first person on television with that problem and I won’t be the last,” he said.

Discovery Communications, Amazon.com Strike Content Licensing Deal

Discovery Communications, Amazon.com Strike Content Licensing Deal

The cable network company's latest digital pact will bring prior seasons of such shows as Discovery Channel’s "Dirty Jobs," TLC’s "Say Yes To The Dress" and Animal Planet’s "Whale Wars" to the Prime Instant Videos subscription-based streaming video service.

Discovery Communications has struck a digital content licensing deal with Amazon.com, which will add series from its Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science and Military Channel to Amazon's Prime Instant Videos subscription-based streaming video service.

Discovery CEO David Zaslav has said that the company would look for smart digital opportunities after a previous deal with Netflix.

Subscribers to the Amazon Prime shipping service, which costs $79 a year, will be able to stream prior seasons of series from those channels, as well as content from the company’s 25-year programming library.

Among the programs covered by the agreement are Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress and Animal Planet’s Whale Wars.

Prime Instant Video's total title count now stands at more than 17,000. Financial details of the deal weren't disclosed.

“Discovery Communications has always been a leader in creating entertaining and enlightening programming for the entire family,” said Brad Beale, director of video content acquisition for Amazon.

“Discovery Communications is committed to delighting audiences on all platforms supported by the right business model, and we are pleased to work with Amazon to help satisfy our existing viewers’ curiosity and introduce new audiences to our engaging content,” said Rebecca Glashow, senior vp, digital distribution and partnerships, Discovery Communications. “This library offering will be a wonderful complement to our current array of multi-channel video services and most importantly, a win for viewers.”

Tuesday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS, FOX & NBC All Share Top Demo Spot

Tuesday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS, FOX & NBC All Share Top Demo Spot

CBS (10.42 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) was the most-watched network on Tuesday despite its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (12.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (11.29 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) and "Unforgettable" (7.27 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

FOX (4.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) and NBC (5.45 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T1) however shared the adults 18-49 crown alongside the Eye as the former offered up new episodes of "Raising Hope" (4.29 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5), "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" (3.52 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10), "New Girl" (5.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) and "Breaking In" (3.47 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #7).

The Peacock then served up a 90-minute "The Biggest Loser 13" (6.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) - tied for its season low - followed by the debut of "Fashion Star" (4.55 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6).

Next up was ABC (5.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) with a repeat of "Last Man Standing" (5.42 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) followed by new episodes of "Cougar Town" (4.41 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8) - a series low, "The River" (4.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) - likewise a series low - and "Body of Proof" (7.28 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.22 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) and "Ringer" (1.10 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.16 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 0.9 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.5 rating.

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/15/11):

FOX (7.96 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) took home the demo crown on Tuesday thanks to new episodes of "Glee" (10.80 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1), "Raising Hope" (6.30 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and "Traffic Light" (3.95 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7).

NBC (6.63 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then snagged the silver with a new "The Biggest Loser" (7.97 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and an encore of Sunday's "America's Next Great Restaurant" (3.96 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7). Said repeat actually bested its original telecast (4.18 million viewers; adults 18-49: 1.4) in the key demo.

Next up was CBS (10.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (12.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (12.51 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4) and "The Good Wife" (7.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up a repeat of "No Ordinary Family" (3.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11) followed by the season finale of "V" (5.30 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) and the penultimate week of "Detroit 187" (5.80 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9), which closes its season on Sunday.

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.90 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Hellcats" (0.74 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Detroit 187 (18.20%), Traffic Light (6.70%), V (5.90%), The Biggest Loser (-6.90%), Raising Hope (-10.70%), Glee (-13.00%).

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Spike TV Orders 'Tattoo Rescue' Pilot from 'Ink Master' Team (Exclusive)

Spike TV Orders 'Tattoo Rescue' Pilot from 'Ink Master' Team (Exclusive)

From the network responsible for hit "Ink Master" and upcoming "Tattoo Nightmares," comes an ink-themed pilot centered on a man looking to turnaround failing tattoo parlors.

The network has ordered Tattoo Rescue, an hour-long pilot from the team behind ratings magnet Ink Master. The project, which joins Master as well as Tattoo Nightmares, centers on renowned tattoo expert Joey Germinario, aka “Joey Tattoo,” and his team of experts as they travel the country transforming failing tattoo studios into profitable businesses.

In a reality TV-friendly twist, the New Jersey native will have to deal with a mix of belligerent owners, obstinate tattoo artists and shops with massive health code violations.

“Tattoos are a billion dollar industry employing thousands nationwide, mostly in small businesses,” notes Spike TV's EVP original series Sharon Levy. “However, many of these fail for a variety of fixable reasons. Joey Tattoo brings over 20 years of experience and insight to the table, in hopes of rescuing these establishments from themselves.”

Tattoo counts Vem Miller as its creator, with the pilot produced by Miller’s Sweatshop and Original Media, the Endemol USA subsidiary behind other series including NY and LA Ink, Swamp People and The Rachel Zoe Project.

The news comes mere days after Ink Master capped off its first season with an impressive 2.3 million viewers. A second season of the series, which averaged 1.8 million viewers to become Spike’s highest rated original, will launch in the fall.

Weeks earlier, the Viacom-owned network announced it would pick up six episodes of Tattoo Nightmares, which features real people with particularly bad tattoos who seek the help of some of the best cover-up artists in the business to fix them. The series hails from Jersey Shore’s Sally Ann Salsano and her 495 Productions, and will launch this fall as well.

What villains can we expect in Sherlock series 3?

What villains can we expect in Sherlock series 3?

With Steven Moffat dropping hints about his plans to resurrect "other great villains" from Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, Gem takes a look at a few potential candidates...

So that’s it, then. We’d just got accustomed to Andrew Scott’s controversial interpretation of Moriarty: episodes of manic glee coupled with listless, empty-hearted musings, taking all the amoral instincts of the Victorian professor and giving the character a younger, modern spin. Unfortunately for us – if not for his nemesis, Sherlock – Moriarty’s gone, apparently for good. A self-inflicted bullet to the head set the seal on what he’d hoped would be a spiral of disgrace for our favourite dapper detective.

Despite the fact that Moriarty’s demise ended up (we hope) being a huge win for the good guys, there’s a problem. The mesmerising interplay between hero and villain provided all the drama of the final episode, having cast a dark, foreboding shadow over all that came before it. What now?

And yes, I know - that ‘apparently for good’ leaves the subject of Moriarty’s return open to debate. We may have seen the evil genius prostrate in a spreading pool of his own blood at the close of The Reichenbach Fall, but then Sherlock himself did plunge from the top of a pretty tall building, leaving John Watson to grieve over his pitifully broken body. Did he really make the leap, though? Let’s face it, he seemed to have recovered rather well as he watched his own funeral from a discreet distance...

It’s tempting to assume that Sherlock’s evil mirror image might have survived his own suicide attempt, too, but for now, we have to assume that Moriarty is no more. Steven Moffat recently gave an interview to a French website, in which he stated that Moriarty was a ‘one-shot deal’ in Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories, and that he and co-creator Mark Gatiss wanted to have a shot at (no pun intended) the ‘other great villains’ who faced the master detective over the course of four novels and fifty-six short stories. Of course, none of this precludes a return by Scott – Lost-style flashbacks, anyone? Okay, maybe not – but the general impression is that Moffat’s ready to move on.

The question is, where to? Who are all these other ‘great villains’ Moffat brought up?

There’s one very obvious contender, and it’ll be a strange thing indeed if Sherlock superfans Moffat and Gatiss don’t resurrect him for their twenty-first-century update. Doyle’s Moriarty might have had a crime network all of his own, but he didn’t run it alone. His partner-in-crime was Colonel Sebastian Moran, old Etonian and disgraced former army officer. After returning from Afghanistan, Moran drifted into a dissolute life of card games and dodgy dealing before his recruitment by Moriarty. His particular skill? That military background means he’s a crack shot with a rifle, and the man Moriarty turns to when he needs someone to be disposed of quickly and quietly.

You might now be putting two and two together, and wondering whether we have, in fact, already seen him. Moffat and Gatiss’s ‘Napoleon of Crime’ had his very own team of snipers. Could Moran have been behind one of those laser sights, called off at the last minute when Sherlock appeared to have carried out the final, fatal stage of Moriarty’s plan? There’s a lot of potential for this character. Like John Watson, he’s an army man who’s done duty in Afghanistan, so could provide an interesting negative mirror image for Sherlock’s sidekick, just as his late boss did for the detective himself. He’d need to be somebody cool, controlled and urbane, sharing only one true characteristic with Watson – a readiness to kill to protect his closest associate. Here’s a casting idea to set the cat among the pigeons: we’ve seen plenty of rumours linking Benedict Cumberbatch to the role of The Master, but how about Matt Smith as the next Holmesian big bad? Just a thought.

Moran’s far from the only plausible candidate to replace Moriarty at the top of Sherlock’s list of enemies. Bear in mind that this is the man who can successfully turn the police against him, and you’ll understand the problem: anybody could be gunning for Sherlock, metaphorically or not. However, he has more pressing day-to-day problems: namely, how to prevent his clients from being bumped off, robbed or generally made miserable by some ne’er-do-well or other.

One of the most unpleasant and sinister figures in Doyle’s work is Dr. Roylott, whose stepdaughter comes to visit Holmes after the mysterious death of her sister. The doomed sister’s last words to her were ‘It was the speckled band!’ Answers on a postcard, but think extremely deadly reptiles, and you’re on the right track. We’re unlikely to get more than the germ of the eponymous tale, though, as A Scandal in Belgravia has already jokingly referenced it in Watson’s online summary of a minor case, "The Speckled Blonde"... However, scheming, avaricious family members are something of a subcategory of villain in Doyle’s stories, and the brutal Roylott, whose physical strength and cunning are almost a match for Sherlock’s, is a particularly nasty example.

Some of those unhappy with the portrayal of Irene Adler in the second series were quick to suggest the plucky governess, Violet Hunter, as another, perhaps more suitable, love interest, or whatever passes for it in Sherlock’s world. Another character from her story, The Adventure of the Copper Beeches, is a contender for a guest appearance: Rucastle, the scheming father of a disobedient daughter whose annuity is more appealing to him than her company. With his mood swings and almost too perfect ability to act his way out of tricky situations, Rucastle might be a little too close to Scott’s Moriarty, but a thoughtful reinterpretation of the character could circumvent that problem.

Not all of Sherlock’s antagonists are murderers or fraudsters. One story that positively cries out for a modern reworking is The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton. The slimy individual of the title is a professional blackmailer, profiting from the secrets of the rich and famous. Holmes manages to embed himself in Milverton’s household at the behest of a wealthy and desperate client, only to find that another of Milverton’s victims has a rather more permanent method of silencing the villain. The concept of the heartless blackmailer and his misdeeds recast within a new, modern world of 24-hour celebrity culture is appealing. After Sherlock’s brief foray into that environment during The Great Game, the prospect of more fish-out-of-water shenanigans makes this one a good bet.

All being well, we might not have to wait quite as long this time to find out who will succeed Moriarty as Sherlock’s next antagonist. Can anybody else hate him, want to be him or covet something of his as much as his criminal counterpart did? Given some of the supersleuth’s recent acerbic one-liners, it’s quite possible. But for those individuals willing to kill for something eminently covetable in Sherlock’s possession, they’re wasting their time. We saw the evidence in series two’s finale – he’s taking that coat to the grave...

David Cronenberg and Sam Raimi to team up on Knifeman

David Cronenberg and Sam Raimi to team up on Knifeman

A gory new TV drama directed and produced by David Cronenberg and Sam Raimi? Count us in…

With neither cast members nor a network confirmed, the arrival of TV drama Knifeman is far from imminent, but the involvement of two additions to its team means we’ll certainly be watching when the time comes. David Cronenberg and Sam Raimi are both involved on the production side of things, with Cronenberg opting to direct the series pilot.

When you hear Knifeman’s premise, the involvement of the legendary body horror director all makes a wonderful kind of sense. It’s a biographical story about radical, self-taught surgeon John Hunter, widely credited as the father of modern surgery, and promises to be “…a visceral portrait of the extraordinary and unorthodox lengths he will go to uncover the secrets of the human body”. That sounds right up Cronenberg's strada.

Adapted from Wendy Moore’s biography of the 18th century surgeon, Knifeman is being adapted by Friday Night Lights writer Rolin Jones. Less clear eyes, full hearts and more bursting eyeballs and heart gunge eh? We can’t wait.

Following on from A Dangerous Method, Cronenberg’s next feature is Cosmopolis, adapted from the Don DeLillo novel and starring Robert Pattinson (who can currently be caught rustling through the underskirts of Parisian ladies in Bel Ami).

Doctor Who charity book under threat from PayPal

Doctor Who charity book under threat from PayPal

A wonderful charity project, as famous people share their thoughts on Doctor Who, has been blocked by PayPal.

Here’s a lovely project. Put together by a fine man by the name of Steve Berry, Behind The Sofa is a limited edition publication, running to 200 pages, which is packed with famous names, and their memories and thoughts surrounding Doctor Who.

The book is strictly a charity publication, with the profits raised from its sale going to Alzheimer’s Research UK. Preorders were being taken for the standard £19.99 version of the book, as well as several limited editions, and the cash from those was set to be used to pay for the printing.

Berry opted to use PayPal to allow people to pay up front for Behind The Sofa, and sadly, that’s where the problem began. Yesterday, he revealed that PayPal has frozen his account, and the funds within it, and that he couldn’t get a representative from PayPal to explain their decision properly on the phone. In fact, as many who have had problems with PayPal can testify, just getting to talk to someone at the organisation can be a challenge.

Fuelled by articles such as this excellent piece at the Radio Times, a furore was stirred up, as Behind The Sofa began trending on Twitter in the UK. And, as a consequence, PayPal has since been in touch with Berry. However, at best, he can only get hold of half of the money currently being held in quarantine by PayPal. PayPal, of course, gets its usual fees, and presumably the interest on the cash that its holding.

To be clear: nobody’s money has been lost. But Berry is now set to fund the printing and production of the book himself, vowing to publish Behind The Sofa with or without help from PayPal.

What’s particularly hurt PayPal here is its apparent unwillingness to engage in sufficient dialogue. That it took a shitstorm on Twitter for it to properly return Berry’s calls, and bother to explain itself. It would be fair to say that it has not come out of this very well at all.

On the upside, the publicity for Behind The Sofa is welcome, and we congratulate Berry on putting such a fascinating project together. You can read his blog on PayPal’s actions here. Appreciating that the firm has policies in place for good reason, the way that PayPal has handled this beggars belief.

Your best way to support the project? To head over here and order a copy. And PayPal? We think the Internet pretty unanimously concluded yesterday that you’ve not behaved very well at all. Might it be an idea to quickly apologise, donate heavily to the cause, and move on?

'Mad Men' exec Matthew Weiner: 'I know how the show will end'

'Mad Men' exec Matthew Weiner: 'I know how the show will end'

Mad Men showrunner Matthew Weiner has revealed that he knows "exactly how [the show is] going to end".

Speaking at PaleyFest ahead of the launch of season five, Weiner reaffirmed his intention to end the AMC drama after a seventh year and confessed that he was being tested with "plotting" the final episodes.

"The plan is for seven seasons," he said. "Seven years sounds like the right amount… My whole thing is I don't want to overstay our welcome. And it's really hard.

"This is the first season we went into knowing there would be more seasons. Trying to think about plotting out three seasons at once makes me sick... [but] I know everything - exactly how it's going to end."

Confirming Weiner's plans, Mad Men star Jon Hamm is only contracted to play series protagonist Don Draper until season seven.

The actor has also claimed that he knows how the show will end.

Mad Men returns to AMC on March 25 and airs in the UK on Sky Atlantic two days later.

Biggest Loser' Kevin McLernon: 'I owe the show my life'

Biggest Loser' Kevin McLernon: 'I owe the show my life'

Biggest Loser UK champion Kevin McLernon has admitted that his time on the show probably saved his life.

McLernon was awarded the series crown by host Davina McCall last night, when it was announced that he had shed 12st, 12lbs during the series, a total 40% weight loss.

The 38-year-old from Sunderland confessed to Digital Spy that appearing on the show had got him out of a "vicious circle" and waiting for "the worst to happen".

"I'm in a bit of a daze. The whole thing seems so unreal. I've worked so hard over the last weeks and months... it's a dream come true. Literally," he said.

"The producers who picked me to take part, I owe them my life. I was stuck in a rut, a vicious circle. I was waiting for the worst to happen, it was going to end my life.

"I needed something to break that circle and Biggest Loser did that. I will forever be grateful."

He also insisted that this is not the end for his weight loss, claiming that he would like to lose "a couple more stone".

"I don't want people saying in six months, 'Are you the guy from Biggest Loser, boy you've put it all back on'. That isn't going to happen. It is pressure, but I'd rather have that pressure than the physical pressure of being overweight," said McLernon.

Talking about his new life, he added: "The best part is the blending in. I wasn't just a fat bloke, I was what I call 'American fat'. Now people stop me because they've seen me on TV, not because I'm fat.

"When we got fitted for suits for the final I was looking around for my trousers and I kept saying, 'They are not mine, they are not mine', but they were. I tried them on and had to have them cut back in the end. That's just a great feeling."

'CSI' season premiere grabs 2.3 million on Channel 5

'CSI' season premiere grabs 2.3 million on Channel 5

Published Wednesday, Mar 14 2012, 10:18 GMT | By Ben Lee | 2 comments

Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) from 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'

Season 12 of procedural drama CSI opened with more than 2.3 million viewers last night, according to overnight data.

Channel 5's US import averaged 2.34m (9.4%) in the 9pm hour, building on Revealed, which took 1.19m (5.1%) from 8pm.

Big Fat Gypsy Weddings continued with 4.01m (16.1%) on Channel 4, but did suffer a slight dip compared to last week and was this time beaten by BBC One's MasterChef (4.16m/16.7%).

Gypsy Weddings added an impressive 753k (4.3%) on timeshift.

Elsewhere on Channel 4, Supersize v Superskinny had 1.96m (8.3%) from 8pm (+1: 137k/0.6%) and Shameless took 1.65m (9.6%) in the 10pm hour (+1: 275k/3.3%).

ITV1 struggled with Homes from Hell taking 2.26m (9.6%) and 9pm's The Biggest Loser averaging 2.48m (10%) and 263k on timeshift.

On BBC Two, Harry Bikers' Bakeation drew 2.63m (11.2%) and Horizon managed 1.69m (6.8%).

Overall, BBC One confidently secured primetime victory with 21.6% ahead of ITV1's 12.5% (+1: 0.6%). Channel 4 came third with 9.6% (+1: 1.3%) beating BBC Two's 8% and Channel 5's 5.8%.

On the multichannels, the latest instalment of The Vampire Diaries had 377k (1.5%) on ITV2 (+1: 128k/0.7%) and MTV's Geordie Shore took 360k (2.1%).

BBC on 'Voice' UK, 'Britain's Got Talent' clash: 'ITV clearly worried'

BBC on 'Voice' UK, 'Britain's Got Talent' clash: 'ITV clearly worried'

The BBC has reportedly accused ITV of being "worried" about The Voice UK after scheduling Britain's Got Talent directly against it.

It was revealed yesterday (March 13) that both shows will clash for 45 minutes when they launch on Saturday, March 24.

The Voice was pushed forward from its original 7.15pm airtime to 7pm to lessen the overlap, but ITV retaliated by moving Britain's Got Talent from 7.45pm to 7.30pm.

Following the scheduling conflict, an alleged BBC source told The Mirror: "ITV is clearly worried. We are really disappointed and some TV fans will be too."

Meanwhile, an ITV insider responded: "We want BGT in primetime and we know people love the show. We are not worried about what The Voice does."

Executives from the BBC are said to be trying to contact ITV in order to reach a compromise before tonight's scheduling deadline.

Speaking back in January, Britain's Got Talent boss Simon Cowell admitted that he recognised The Voice as a threat.

The BBC has admitted that Top Gear deliberately staged a traffic jam for last weekend's episode

The BBC has admitted that Top Gear deliberately staged a traffic jam for last weekend's episode

In the final episode of the current series aired on Sunday, viewers watched as presenter James May drove a Ferrari California Spider worth £5.6m, owned by BBC Radio Breakfast show host Chris Evans.

At one stage, May drove through Windsor and had to reverse the sports car on a tight road after being blocked in by three cars supposedly driven by learner drivers.

"Oh God not here, don't say you want to go backwards," he said, before wincing when the cars narrowly missed the Ferrari's paintwork as they manoeuvred past.

However, a newspaper report revealed that the drivers were not in fact learners, but actually their driving instructors, led by fully qualified Rob White.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, an instructor for the Clearway Driving School said that the sequence had been filmed in November 2009.

She added: "We were told not to bring learner drivers because of the value of the car, so it was the instructors who were really doing the driving. Their remit was to get in his way and make life awkward for him. We were there for comic effect."

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said that the set-up was "a light-hearted take on the perils of driving one of the rarest and most valuable cars on the road".

They said that Top Gear is "not a documentary", but added that the scene in which school children ran towards the Ferrari was real.

Ofcom said that it had not received any complaints about Sunday's episode.

Top Gear is one of the BBC's most popular programme brands, but the show has regularly been accused of 'faking' scenes for the purposes of entertainment.

In 2009, bosses on the show admitted to setting up a stunt in which James May piloted a caravan adapted into an airship over Norwich airport, attracting the supposed ire of authorities.

At the time, a BBC spokesperson said: "As an entertainment programme, Top Gear prides itself on making silly films that don't pretend to represent real life. Any suggestion it deliberately misled viewers is patently ludicrous."

TV Tonight 15th of March 2012

TV Tonight 15th of March 2012

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

    24 Hour Catwalk S01E10: "The 2024 Woman"
    30 Rock S06E12: "St. Patrick's Day"
    Amagami SS S02E11: "Sexy"
    American Idol S11E20: "1 of 12 Voted Off"
    Antiques Road Trip S04E24: "Series 4, Episode 24"
    Archer (2009) S03E09: "Space Race (1)"
    Awake S01E03: "Guilty"
    Behind The Music S13E01: "Pitbull"
    Big Brother Sverige S08E23: "Del 23"
    Biggest loser Sverige S01E11: "Avsnitt 11"
    Bikini Barbershop S01E05: "Ariana"
    Blik op de weg S27E05: "Season 27, Episode 5"
    Braxton Family Values S02E18: "A Clean Break"
    Burlacul S03E03: "Season 3, Episode 1"
    Celebrity Juice S07E06: "Alexandra Burke, Jorgie Porter, Mel B"
    Chelsea Lately S06E52
    Chelsea Lately S06E44
    Cleverdicks S01E14: "Episode 14"
    Come Dine With Me S18E52: "Series 18, Series 44"
    Comic Relief Does Glee Club! S02E03: "Series 2, Episode 3"
    Community S03E11: "Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts"
    Coronation Street S53E53: "Thu Mar 15, 2012"
    Dance Academy S02E04: "Legends"
    Days of our Lives S47E89: "Ep. #11799"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E185: "Episode 1865"
    Delocated S03E07: "Friend"
    Dickinson's Real Deal S08E73: "Series 8, Episode 73"
    Doctors S13E220: "Crush"
    EastEnders S28E44: "March 15, 2012"
    Éden Hotel S02E08: "Season 2, Episode 8"
    Emmerdale S41E64: "March 15, 2012 (Episode 2)"
    Emmerdale S41E63: "March 15, 2012"
    Four In A Bed S04E04: "Series 4, Episode 4"
    General Hospital (US) S49E243: "#12517"
    Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden S22E139: "Season 22, Episode 139"
    Golden Goal S12E06: "Season 12, Episode 6"
    Grey's Anatomy S08E17: "One Step Too Far"
    Halv åtta hos mig S08E32: "Stockholm - Elin"
    Hollyoaks S18E54: "March 15, 2012"
    Home and Away (AU) S25E39: "Episode 5474"
    Hotel cæsar S28E169: "Season 28, Episode 169"
    House Hunters S48E53
    House Hunters International S25E56: "Grand Living in Grand Cayman"
    I Just Want My Pants Back S01E09: "Love Equation"
    Impact Wrestling S08E76: "Season 8, Episode 76"
    Inside Comedy S01E08: "Ellen Degeneres / Tim Conway"
    Jeopardy! S28E129: "Show #6334"
    Jersey Shore S05E11: "How to Live Without Jionni"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E220
    Live with Regis and Kelly S29E143
    Location Location Location S14E11: "Series 14, Episode 11"
    Love Life S01E01: "Episode 1"
    Masterchef (UK) S16E16: "Series 16, Episode 16"
    Missing (2012) S01E01: "Pilot"
    My First Place S22E01: "Baby On the Way and A New House"
    Nårje S01E02: "Season 1, Episode 2"
    Naruto: Shippuuden S11E12: "Super S Rank Top Secret Mission"
    Natural World S32E04: "Madagascar, Lemurs and Spies"
    Neighbours S28E49: "Episode 6359"
    New Prince of Tennis S01E11: "Episode 11"
    Pointless S06E24: "Series 6, Episode 24"
    Pramface S01E04: "Man of the Moment"
    Private Practice S05E17: "The Letting Go"
    Project Runway All-Stars S01E11: "Finale, Part 1"
    Question Time S32E24: "March 15, 2012"
    Reguły gry S01E05: "Urodzinowy numerek"
    Selling New York S04E21: "Deal or No Deal"
    Sket Dance S01E49: "Genesis World Grand Prix"
    Swamp People S03E06: "Treebreaker 2"
    The Biggest Loser (AU) S07E32: "Season 7, Episode 32"
    The Chase (2009) S05E33: "Series 5, Episode 33"
    The Colbert Report S08E39: "Dexter Filkins"
    The Ellen DeGeneres Show S09E122: "Ewan McGregor, Drew Brees, Toby Keith"
    The First 48 S12E07: "Deadly Encounter/Car Trouble"
    The First 48: Missing Persons S02E01: "A History of Violence"
    The Jeremy Kyle Show S07E129
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S08E49: "TBA"
    The Office (US) S08E19: "Get The Girl"
    The Revolution (2012) S01E44: "Season 1, Episode 44"
    The Rosie Show S01E84: "Jaleel White, Debbie Gibson"
    The Sarah Millican Television Programme S01E02: "Drama & Weather"
    The Secret Circle S01E16: "Lucky"
    The Straits S01E08: "The Big Mistake"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S19E258
    The Vampire Diaries S03E16: "1912"
    The View S15E127
    This Week (2003) S10E23: "March 15, 2012"
    Thuis S17E144: "Season 17, Episode 144"
    Tonight with Trevor McDonald S14E10: "Our Kids Rotten Teeth"
    Undercover Boss (CA) S01E07: "Second Cup"
    Unsupervised S01E09: "Jesse Judge Lawncare Incorporated"
    Up All Night (2011) S01E20: "Baby Fever"
    Watch What Happens: Live S06E48: "Cee Lo Green"
    Watchdog S30E01: "Series 30, Episode 1"
    White Heat S01E02: "Eve of Destruction"
    White Van Man (2011) S02E04: "The Ones That Got Away"

'Downton Abbey' creator Julian Fellows to adapt 'Gypsy' memoir

'Downton Abbey' creator Julian Fellows to adapt 'Gypsy' memoir

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has been lined up to adapt Gypsy into a movie.

The award-winning writer, who has also worked on Gosford Park and The Tourist and is now making miniseries Titanic, has been asked to transform the 1957 memoirs of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee into a feature-length film.

According to the BBC, Fellowes will work alongside producers Barbra Streisand and Joel Silver on the project.

Lee's memoirs explored her stripping career and her relationship with her pushy mother Momma Rose. She wrote the book after retiring from stripping in 1956 and died of lung cancer in 1970.

The autobiography was adapted into a Broadway musical in 1959 and then into a movie starring Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell in 1962. It was nominated for three Academy Awards.

Bette Midler played Momma Rose and Cynthia Gibb played Gypsy in a 1993 TV adaptation of the book.

ALMA Awards to return to NBC in September

ALMA Awards to return to NBC in September

The ALMA Awards will be broadcast on NBC for the second year in a row.

The ceremony will honour the very best in Latino culture to coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month in September.

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria and Janet Murguia will produce the 2012 ALMA Awards.

NBC's president of Alternative and Late Night Programming Paul Telegdy said in a statement that the Peacock Network is "incredibly proud" to be once again presenting the ALMAs.

"We are fully committed to the ALMAs goal of promoting diversity and inclusion among the entertainment industry and are excited to partner with NCLR (National Council of La Raza) to highlight the contributions that Hispanic artists have made over the past year," Telegdy commented.

The ALMA Awards were launched in 1995 by the NCLR to promote positive portrayals of the Latino community in the media.

Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Sofia Vergara were among the stars recognised at the 2011 Alma Awards.

Nominations for this year's ALMAs will be announced in the coming months.

The ALMA Awards air Friday, September 21 at 9/8c on NBC.

'Da Brick': HBO passes on Mike Tyson boxing drama

'Da Brick': HBO passes on Mike Tyson boxing drama

HBO has passed on Mike Tyson's drama pilot Da Brick.

The cable network has opted not to go forward with the project, according to Deadline.

Based loosely on Tyson's own life, Da Brick was directed by Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing).

Newcomer John Boyega starred as aspiring young boxer Donnie, while Tyson executive produced alongside Lee, John Ridley, Jim Lefkowitz and Entourage creator Doug Ellin.

Earlier this month, HBO also declined to pick up Ellin's comedy pilot 40.

Starring Ed Burns, Michael Rapaport, Michael Imperioli and Adrian Pasdar, the show followed four long-time friends dealing with the trials of middle-age.

Other pilots still in the works at HBO include The Corrections starring Ewan McGregor and Maggie Gyllenhaal, and The Viagra Diaries, based on Barbara Rose Brooker's 2009 novel.

Million Dollar Listing New York's Michael Lorber Keeps it Real (Estate)

Million Dollar Listing New York's Michael Lorber Keeps it Real (Estate)

As one of the high-end realtors on Million Dollar Listing New York (Wednesday, 10/9c, Bravo), Michael Lorber has the keys to Manhattan's kingdom. But he's not some buttoned-down bore who's all about the art of the sale. In fact, this guy is well aware that where one is living is just as important as the act of giving.

How did you get into the world of reality TV?
Michael Lorber: I was a fan of the L.A. version of Million Dollar Listing — that's actually the only reality show I watched — and then saw that they were casting for a New York version of the show. So I applied and went through the awful, awful long, grueling process of "film this" and "say that," and they finally narrowed it down to the three of us.

Were you aware of Ryan Serhant and Fredrik Eklund, your costars on the show?
Lorber: It's a huge industry, but everyone knows each other, so it's small in that respect. My firm alone has 4,000 realtors. But I had never actually met the other two guys on the show. Fredrik, I just got to know because he'd started working for my firm when we started filming. There are so many niches in the New York City real-estate market. Uptown, downtown, Brooklyn, Queens, condos, townhouses...you can be a very successful broker and not know some of your competition.

What's your take on these guys then?
Lorber: They're hard-working, competitive brokers, you know? I don't agree with everything they do, but they're not my children, so I can't scold them.

Were you aware of Frederik's previous career in gay porn?
Lorber: When I heard he was cast, of course, I Googled him and found out. And you know, I can't say I approve of or understand why he did it. I've never seen his actual 'work.' Actually, between him and Ryan [a former soap actor], I'm the only one without acting experience. [Laughs]

And since you work for your father, what did he think of you bringing his company into the world of TV?
Lorber:  Oh, my father was against the show from the start. [Laughs] He was always saying "Why would you want to do this?" and "No good can come of this." I convinced him [that] this was an hour-long infomercial on prime time television about our business and the firm. You can't buy that kind of advertising! And also, my dad was also a judge on The Apprentice Season 3, so it was like "You're in no position to keep me from doing it." You'll actually see a lot of him...he's kind of like a member of the cast. You know how the L.A. version has the guy and his grandmother? This one has me and my dad. But he's also my boss, so it's a complicated dynamic.

How do you think the show does, capturing this industry?
Lorber: You have to remember that it's reality TV. The idea of the show is to film us getting the listings, showing them, selling them and the closing. If they actually filmed the reality, nobody would watch this show. We'd have four-hour shows about awful closes...

It would be a mini-series about paperwork.
Lorber: Exactly! [Laughs] We kill a tree every time we sell an apartment once all the paperwork is done.

The fun part is watching you guys show the properties.
Lorber: I always say, being a real-estate broker, you're part banker, a lawyer, an architect, a designer and therapist. That's the drama of it. You have all of these wacky clients and wacky properties. And New York is so different from L.A., where you have those glamorous houses and palm trees. It's difficult filming in New York, but that's where the most exciting real estate is. And most people will never get to see it because it's inside the buildings...and that is why people tune in. We're taking you inside those buildings and behind the closed doors.

Don't you get some sort of property envy when you're showing great places to clients?
Lorber: [Laughs] Its funny, every time I see a new apartment, the first thing I think of, even before I show it to a client and I know this is selfish, is "Wow, what would I do if I lived here?" Or "where would I put that couch I have?" You have to think of your client first, but it's hard to distinguish the two!

Do you have a favorite neighborhood?
Lorber: God, that's like picking your favorite child. I'm a classic guy, I don't go for the trends and such, so I would say the Upper East Side to me is the quintessential perfect New York neighborhood.

But you're calling me from Florida now, so what are you doing away from New York?
Lorber: I'm down here doing a luncheon for Nash General Hospital's Cancer Center, which I'm on the board of. So it's like 30, no 40 people at Donald Trump's house down here...just to tell people about the advances we're making with research and how well we're doing. I do a lot of charitable work around Boston, New York and Florida. It's really important to me and something my peers don't do. It's a terrible thing that young people don't give back as much as they can.

Especially the ones with the financial means.
Lorber: Right! If you don't have the time, write a check. I went to a small college in Boston and a small portion of the alumni gives back. There's no reason why every alumni can't give back.

Since you mentioned Trump, I assume you're close with him?
Lorber: Yeah, he's one of my dad's best friends and I started my career working for him. He gave me my first job in the business when I was still in college.

You know, most guys deliver pizza in college...
Lorber: [Laughs] I know. But they probably made more money than I did working for Trump. It was an unpaid internship. But the experience? He's my role model. You can say what you want about him, but he knows how to build, manage and sell the best buildings. What other realtors are rock stars? His name became a brand. It's amazing.

Do you have aspirations to be the next Trump?
Lorber: Who doesn't? I don't think I could pull it off as well as he has. He's brilliant. He's tall, he's got the beautiful wife and family. I don't have that...yet. [Laughs]

Barbara Walters Calls The Bachelor a "Degradation to Women"

Barbara Walters Calls The Bachelor a "Degradation to Women"

Barbara Walters is not a fan of The Bachelor — and she's not holding back her feelings about the show either. On Tuesday's episode of ABC's The View, Walters expressed her disgust with the reality program — which also airs on ABC.

Bachelor's Chris Harrison on Ben and Courtney: "They might just be weird enough to work"

"I love ABC, I'm very happily employed," she tells her co-hosts, "but I think this show is such a degradation to women."

And what does Walters think of Bachelor Ben himself? "He's an ordinary guy with bad hair," she says.

Real Housewives' Tamra Barney Confirms Engagement to Eddie Judge

Real Housewives' Tamra Barney Confirms Engagement to Eddie Judge

The Real Housewives of Orange County's Tamra Barney has found love again.

After weeks of rumors, the reality star has confirmed her engagement to boyfriend Eddie Judge, Us Weekly reports. The couple has been together for two years.

Judge, an entrepreneur, proposed in February while the two were on vacation in Bora Bora, and then a second time when they returned home, in front of Barney's children.

"My answer was, 'Yes, we will marry you!'" Barney says.

Barney has four children from previous marriages: Ryan Vieth, from her first marriage, and Sidney, Spencer and Sophia from her second marriage to Simon Barney, who appeared on several seasons of the Bravo show.

'Luck': HBO horse racing drama suspends use of horses

'Luck': HBO horse racing drama suspends use of horses

HBO horse racing drama Luck has been forced to temporarily abandon filming with horses.

Animal rights group PETA protested last month after two horses were put down during filming of the show's second season.

An investigation is now ongoing following the death of a third animal, according to Deadline.

HBO has suspended the use of horses until the enquiry is complete. The most recent death occurred when one of the creatures flipped over backwards, striking its head on the ground.

Attending veterinarian Dr Heidi Agnic administered immediate aid to the injured horse and determined that humane euthanasia was the most appropriate course of action.

"An American Humane Association Certified Safety Representative was on the premises when the accident occurred, and as always, all safety precautions were in place," HBO said in a statement.

"HBO and everyone involved with the production are deeply saddened, and are working in full cooperation with the AHA and the California Horse Racing Board to complete their inquiry."

CHRB Equine Medical Director Dr Rick Arthur added: "Unfortunately, we see several of these injuries in the stable area every year. They are more common than people realise."

Filming on the second season of Luck continues at Santa Anita Race Track in the LA suburb of Arcadia.

'24' movie suffers further delays, production axed for 2012

'24' movie suffers further delays, production axed for 2012

The 24 movie has been hit by further delays, with 20th Century Fox shelving plans to put it in front of cameras in 2012.

Kiefer Sutherland recently told Digital Spy that he had hoped to reprise his role as counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer during a break from filming his new TV drama Touch in April.

Deadline reports that backers Fox have refused to give the 24 movie spinoff the green light, believing that Sutherland did not have enough time to complete the movie during Touch's hiatus between seasons.

Antoine Fuqua, the director of Training Day and Shooter, was reportedly being lined up to direct the 24 movie before it suffered its latest delay.

Billy Ray and Mark Bomback's script is said to be designed to play out over three films, kick-starting a potential action movie franchise for Fox to rival the Die Hard series.

Brian Grazer and Sutherland are still on board to produce the 24 movie through Imagine Entertainment.

'Deal or No Deal', 'Red or Black?' investigated by Gambling Commission

'Deal or No Deal', 'Red or Black?' investigated by Gambling Commission

Deal or No Deal may be forced to move to a post-watershed slot amid concerns that it constitutes gambling.

Channel 4 executives are to meet with the Gambling Commission after it was suggested that the Noel Edmonds gameshow could be breaking the law in its current timeslot because it does not involve an element of skill.

Simon Cowell's Red or Black? - which was recently renewed for a second series - could also be under threat, since non-skill games played for money require a gambling licence.

On Deal or No Deal, a government source apparently told the Daily Mail: "The Gambling Commission does not seem to think that there is any skill element to the show.

"Even though at the beginning of the show, contestants do not have to stake any of their own money, the argument is that once they've picked a box, which could contain a lot of cash, in subsequent rounds they are in effect gambling with their own money."

Sir Peter Bazalgette - the former chief creative officer of Deal or No Deal production company Endemol - warned that any ban could have far-reaching implications for television.

"Whatever the letter of the law in regard to television entertainment the sensible position here is that with Deal or No Deal you have a gameshow that has been on air in more than 50 countries around the world. In some of those territories gambling is illegal, but the gameshow is still allowed on TV," he told The Guardian.

"It would be very strange if the UK suddenly decided you couldn't have Deal or No Deal on air."

A Channel 4 spokesperson said: "Channel 4 has been contacted by the Gambling Commission about the popular long-running series Deal or No Deal, but it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."

Bear Grylls 'Disagrees' With Discovery's Decision, Rep Says

Bear Grylls 'Disagrees' With Discovery's Decision, Rep Says

Bear Grylls has had to swallow a lot of unsavory things as a host of Discovery Channel's reality series "Man vs. Wild" -- but Discovery's decision to drop him on Tuesday might go down the hardest.

Grylls' spokeswoman told that Grylls isn't happy about Discovery halting production of "Man vs. Wild" over what the network described as a contract dispute, saying that Grylls "disagrees" with the channel's choice.

"Bear's goal has always been to make life-empowering shows for his many fans around the globe, and he has taken great risks to bring Discovery such award winning programming over seven seasons," the spokeswoman said in a statement provided to TheWrap. "Unfortunately, Bear and Discovery have not been able to come to mutual agreement on new programming, and he disagrees with Discovery's decision to terminate current productions."

The spokesperson added that British adventurer Grylls, who launched "Man vs. Wild" in 2006, will create content again in the future, though what form it will take and what venue it will appear in aren't clear.

"Bear has loved the 'Man vs. Wild' journey and looks forward to producing further cutting edge content again soon for his loyal audience," the statement reads.

It is not certain why Discovery chose to cut ties with Grylls. However, Discovery confirmed the split Tuesday.

"Due to a continuing contractual dispute with Bear Grylls, Discovery has terminated all current productions with him," a spokeswoman for Discovery told.

Lindsay Lohan Brushes Man With Car, Leaves Scene

Lindsay Lohan Brushes Man With Car, Leaves Scene

Lindsay Lohan had another traffic altercation early Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, so police did not file a report.

The Los Angeles Police Department were called to the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard early Wednesday morning, where they investigated and found that Lohan's car "brushed up against" a man, officer Wendy Reyes told TheWrap. Lohan left the scene after her car made contact with the man, and was not there when officers arrived.

Because no one reported injuries or damage, officers didn't take a report, Reyes said.

The man who was struck initially told paparazzi he was uninjured, and didn't know who Lohan was. But, once told who the driver was, he began complaining of injuries, TMZ said.

The site said the man then went to an emergency room and planned to hire a lawyer.

The LAPD told TheWrap it would open an investigation if anyone complained of injuries.

Lohan has been involved in several car crashes and has two DUI convictions. Her probation for the convictions was to end this month, but she remains on probation in a necklace theft.

She has tried in recent months to reignite her career, first with a "Playboy" shoot. She is expected to play "Elizabeth Taylor" for an upcoming Lifetime movie. The actress also appeared on "Saturday Night Live" earlier this month and made fun of her reckless image in an opening monologue in which cast members checked her for intoxication and patted her down.

History Channel's 'Vikings' is First Scripted Series

History Channel's 'Vikings' is First Scripted Series

History Channel has the second most popular reality series on cable TV with "Pawn Stars," and now the network is tacking its first scripted series with "Vikings."

The network announced the series will begin production for a 2013 debut.  Filmed in Ireland, the series -- from Michael Hirst, "The Tudors" and "Camelot" producer and "Elizabeth" writer -- will revolve around the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok, a real-life Norse hero who became the king of the Viking tribes and was reputed to be a direct descendant of Odin, the god of war and warriors.

Lothbrok was portrayed by Ernest Borgnine in the 1958 film "The Vikings."

"People think they know about the Vikings -- we see references to them all the time in our popular culture from TV commercials to football teams -- but the reality is so much more fascinating and complex, more vivid, visceral and powerful than popular legend," History Channel president Nancy Dubec said in a statement.

"We will explore the mysteries of the Vikings -- the adventures they took and the people who led them. And we will start to understand a past that is very much part of our collective DNA today."

History Channel's release further describes "Vikings" as a family saga, that, "unlike past movies and dramas that caricatured them as barbarians … will not look at Viking culture from the outside, but from within the heart of Viking society."