Mark Gatiss on 'Doctor Who' biopic: 'I've wanted to do this for years'

Mark Gatiss has claimed he has wanted to write the upcoming Doctor Who biopic An Adventure in Space and Time for "years".

The docudrama focuses on the making of the first series of the sci-fi, and coincides with the show's 50th anniversary.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Gatiss revealed: "I've been trying to do this [project] for years - I tried to do it for the 40th anniversary! And before that, really - it's taken about 12 years."

Harry Potter actor David Bradley has been cast in the role of First Doctor William Hartnell, and Gatiss admitted that he has had the actor in mind for the part for "years".

The Sherlock writer said of the project: "It's a real labour of love for me and I'm just really thrilled that everything's come together for the 50th.

"It just seems exactly the right time, and a wonderful cast and it's a very lovely story."

Gatiss has also written for the upcoming eight-episode run of Who, which will begin in March on BBC One and BBC America.

Showrunner Steven Moffat has said that he is "mostly excited" for the 50th anniversary but also "a little bit nervous and aware of trying not to let people down".

'The Syndicate': BBC drama to be remade for US television

BBC series The Syndicate is to be remade for US television.

ABC has ordered a pilot for Lucky 7, based on Kay Mellor's drama, Deadline reports.

While the UK series followed a group of supermarket workers who win big on the lottery, the US version - written by David Zabel (ER) and Jason Richman (Detroit 1-8-7) - will follow seven employees at a Queens service station who similarly strike it rich.

The remake is expected to replicate the original show's format, with each episode focusing on a different character and each season following a new group of characters.

Lucky 7 is ABC's twelfth and final drama pilot pick-up this season - the network has already commissioned remakes of UK shows Spy and Pulling, while rival channel Fox is developing US versions of Gavin & Stacey and Linda Green.

The UK Syndicate was picked up for a second series by BBC One back in April, with new episodes expected to air later this year.

Steven Tyler's Attorney Scores Big Win in Suit Over 'American Idol' Fee

Steven Tyler's entertainment attorney Dina LaPolt had reason to sing on Friday.

LaPolt, who was sued by Tyler's former management group, Kovac Media Group, over fee negotiations for Tyler's "America Idol" judging stint, had the majority of Kovac's claims thrown out on Friday, a spokesperson for LaPolt told TheWrap.

Judge Joseph R. Kalin of Los Angeles Superior Court ruled in LaPolt's favor and threw out three of Kovac's claims after LaPort filed a motion to have the claims dismissed on anti-SLAPP grounds.

(SLAPP is an acronym for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, referring to a lawsuit filed for the purpose of censoring and intimidating someone.)

Judge Kalin also threw out two claims leveled at LaPort by Kovac relating to the rock band Motley Crue.

LaPolt's attorney, Christine Lepera of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP, says she is “very pleased with the ruling. The claims against Dina LaPolt are baseless and this decision at this early of stage of litigation vindicates LaPolt’s reputation. As a next step, we look forward to recovering legal fees for this ill-advised lawsuit.”

Kovac sued LaPolt in October, claiming that she undermined negotiations for Tyler's renegotiation with "Idol," costing the company millions. The suit, which sought damages "believed to be more than $8 million," claimed that LaPolt used privileged and sensitive information to sabotage the 2011 renegotiation of Tyler's "Idol" contract, and badmouthed Kovac to the "Idol" producers.

Kovac (doing business as Tenth Street Entertainment) claimed that LaPolt undermined the talks to court favor with the "Idol" producers, so that they would refer other artists and talents to her. (According to the suit, LaPolt ended up representing "numerous other "American Idol" performers.)

According to the suit, rather than the raise that Kovac was trying to broker, Tyler was ultimately offered the same amount that he had previously earned on the show.

'Dallas' Taps Lee Majors for Guest Role

"Dallas" will have a little bit of Austin in it for its second season.

TNT's "Dallas" reboot has signed on Lee Majors for two episodes of the hit drama, a spokeswoman for the network told TheWrap on Friday.

Majors will play Ken Richards, a former flame of Sue Ellen (portrayed by Linda Gray) who comes back into her life due to business matters.

Majors is best known as the star of "The Six Million Dollar Man," which ran on ABC from 1974 to 1978 and followed the exploits of former astronaut Steve Austin, who's given superpowers via bionic implants after suffering injuries in a crash.  (He enjoyed a second wave of popularity as stuntman/bounty hunter Colt Seavers in the '80s series "The Fall Guy.")

In recent years, Majors has done guest spots on the Fox comedy "Raising Hope" and the CBS drama "CSI: NY."

EW.com first reported the news of Majors' casting.

'NCIS' Renewed as Mark Harmon Extends Contract

CBS's hit drama "NCIS" has been renewed for another season, after the network extended its contract with series star and executive producer Mark Harmon, the network said Friday.

"In a world gone niche, 'NCIS' keeps getting bigger, and Mark Harmon continues to define the role of leading man on the #1 show on television," CBS Corporation president and CEO Leslie Moonves said of the renewal. "NCIS is the type of franchise every company wants in today’s global content ecosystem – high-quality storytelling that generates passionate viewers and drives revenue on every conceivable platform."

A ratings bockbuster for CBS, "NCIS" -- which airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. -- has been television's top scripted drama since the 2009-2010 season. In its current 10th season, the program has been averaging a 4.2 rating/12 share in the 18-49 demographic most important to advertisers, and 21.5 million total viewers, a 7 percent increase over last year.

On the series, Harmon stars as special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who leads a team of special agents who investigate crimes involving the Navy and Marine Corps.

Lily Rabe Signs on for 'American Horror Story' Season 3

Add another familiar face to the list when "American Horror Story" returns for its third season.

Lily Rabe, who played Sister Mary Eunice McKee in "American Horror Story: Asylum" and Nora Montgomery on the series' maiden season, will return for the next installment of the creepy FX hit.

"AHS" co-creator Ryan Murphy announced Rabe's return via his Twitter account Thursday night.

Also read: "American Horror Story" Takes a "Glee"-ful Turn With Dance Number (Video)

"So thrilled to announce Lily Rabe is onboard for American Horror Story Season Three!" Murphy wrote. "So talented, love her!"

Rabe will join Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters and Jessica Lange, who also starred in the series' first two seasons. (Lange also took home an Emmy for her portrayal of Constance Langdon.)

Though numerous cast members have appeared on multiple seasons of "American Horror Story," they have played different characters on the seasons, which are set in a different environment for each cycle. The next installment will be a romance set in contemporary times.

'Merlin' star Angel Coulby, Keeley Hawes join 'The Bridge' remake

Merlin star Angel Coulby and Spooks actress Keeley Hawes have joined Sky Atlantic's remake of The Bridge.

Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) and Clémence Poésy (Birdsong) will play the leads in the UK version of the Scandinavian crime drama, retitled The Tunnel.

Coulby and Hawes will also appear alongside Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Adam Roebuck (Mrs Biggs) and Liz Smith (The Royle Family), according to the Radio Times.

Spooks writer Ben Richards has adapted The Bridge for UK television - while the original series focused on a joint murder investigation led by Danish and Swedish police, The Tunnel will focus on relations between the UK and France.

The Tunnel will enter production later this month and will air on Sky Atlantic in late 2013.

US cable network FX is also developing its own remake of The Bridge starring Diane Kruger, Demián Bichir and Matthew Lillard.

911 talk 'Big Reunion': 'Spike was the naughtiest, he was dirty'

911 are the latest pop act to confess details of their hedonistic former lifestyles in ITV2 documentary series The Big Reunion.

The show features former music stars reuniting and putting aside former differences to perform together one more time. Boyband trio 911 and Liverpudlian pop outfit Atomic Kitten will be the focus of next week's episode.

Spike Dawbarn, Jimmy Constable and Lee Brennan reveal details on the show about their love for "women and drinking" when in the mid-'90s they were touring the world with hit singles such as 'Bodyshakin'.

Brennan tells the show: "Our manager always said, 'This is your image as a clean cut boy band'. And he did tell us no girlfriends and all that stuff at the start, which obviously we ignored.

"Jimmy was naughty, Spike was the naughtiest, he was a dirty one!"

Dawbarn comments: "We were just up all night with the women and drinking."

Constable adds: "I was like a walking hormone. There's been many occasions where we woke up thinking I don't know what went on last night, all I know is there are two women in my bed, I don't know who they are, what their names are, but I've just called a taxi for them."

The trio also confess that they were almost arrested after a night of partying in Bahrain. Dawbarn reveals: "[The authorities] ended up taking us to the stage, putting us on stage and then driving us straight to the tarmac of the airport and deporting us."

'House of Cards' Reviews: Will Kevin Spacey's Netflix Series Revolutionize TV?

"House of Cards" debuted Friday as an object of intense fascination. Anticipation has been high, not just for its steamy look at Beltway politics or the A-list cast the boasts Kevin Spacey, but because of its decision to launch on Netflix's streaming service instead of a pedigreed cable network like HBO -- and to launch the entire 13-episode season in one binge-worthy gulp.

For the most part, the reviews have been sterling -- good news for Netflix and the show's producers, who are betting a reported $100 million on the series.

The hope is that the pricey show will allow the streaming service to launch a slate of original programming to rival anything currently broadcast on the tube.

Already in the works are a re-launch of Fox's "Arrested Development" series and "Hemlock Grove," produced by "Hostel's" Eli Roth.

As for "House of Cards," in addition to Spacey, the series was produced by David Fincher, who also directs the pilot, and co-stars Robin Wright. It is based on a BBC mini-series of the same name.

In the Los Angeles Times, Mary McNamara predicted that "House of Cards" could become the first non-televised series to score with Emmy voters. She hailed Spacey's performance as a venal politician seeking revenge on the president of the United States after getting passed over for Secretary of State, but did say that the rest of the series does not quite rise to his level.

Still, McNamara implied that the series could be a game changer for the service, writing, "...just as 'The Sopranos' turned HBO into a game-changer and 'Mad Men' re-invented AMC, 'House of Cards' makes Netflix an undisputed player in serialized drama."

For Robert Bianco of USA Today, that $100 million was money well-spent. The TV sage said in a glowing review, that "House of Cards" is an appointment watching event to rival small-screen hits like "Downton Abbey."

"As if TV executives didn't have enough to worry about," Bianco wrote. "They already face an overcrowded field of competitors for the scripted-programming audience, with new entrants seeming to arrive on a daily basis. And now comes a well-funded challenge from Netflix, jumping into the fray with 'House of Cards' -- and landing right near the top."

In the Guardian, John Crace said that while the new take on "House of Cards" does not entirely banish the memory of the BBC original, the series does successfully import the tale of political intrigue from Westminster to Washington.

Crace also said that Spacey's take on the central character rivals that of Ian Richardson, the late English actor who served as the charming and amoral center of the original show.

Roland Rat returns to ITV 'Daybreak' to mark 30 years of breakfast TV

Roland Rat returned to his home on ITV breakfast TV today (February 1) to mark the 30th anniversary of the launch of TV-am.

The cheeky rodent spoke with Daybreak hosts Kate Garraway and Aled Jones, and the original TV-am credits were aired to mark the occasion.

ITV's first ever breakfast TV show aired on February 1, 1983 and was hosted by Sir David Frost, Sir Michael Parkinson, Angela Rippon, Anna Ford and Robert Kee.

Fellow TV-am presenter Roland Rat is generally regarded as saving the ailing show and in the '80s was dubbed the saviour of TV-am, transforming the show's ratings into a hit.

Speaking today, Roland said: "Can I just say to all the viewers in light of Beckham donating his fee to charity I'm going to donate my pathetic fee this morning for coming on here - £3.50 and I had to beg for that.

"No, shut ya face, I'm telling you I'm going to donate my fee to the Kevin the Gerbil Charity for Rodent TV superstars to keep me in the life I'm accustomed to, right thank you, carry on."

Roland Rat went on to become a popular TV star in the '80s with co-stars Kevin the Gerbil and Errol the Hamster, landing various spin-off shows, and even released his own album with tracks such as 'Rat Rapping'.

Mike Tyson's Controversial 'Law & Order: SVU' Episode Moved Up a Week

NBC is sticking with its decision to cast Mike Tyson in an upcoming episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." In fact, it's moving the episode up a week from its original air date.

Tyson's guest spot on "SVU" -- which sparked outrage online, in light of Tyson's rape conviction -- will air Feb. 6. The episode was originally scheduled to air on Feb. 13.

On the episode, former boxing champ Tyson plays Reggie Rhodes, a murderer on death row who was the victim of a difficult childhood. (Andre Braugher, most recently of ABC's "Last Resort," also guest-stars.)

After news of the episode broke, a petition was posted on Change.org, urging NBC to cast someone other than Tyson in the role, or to pull the episode altogether.

"Am I the only one who remembers that Mike Tyson was CONVICTED and sent to prison for raping Desiree Washington?" Marcie Kaveney, an abuse survivor and advocate who started the petition, wrote in her online plea. "I am sorry but I see this as just another way to clean-up his image."

"While we understand Mr. Tyson has served his time; it seems as though the only person who will benefit from his guest appearance will be him," the petition, addressed to various NBC executives as well as "SVU" creator Dick Wolf and showrunner Warren Leight, reads. "There are many sexual assault survivors as well as others who consider your decision to be in poor judgment. Mr. Tyson has never publicly apologized to his victim nor has he admitted his crime. In fact, he has publicly ridiculed his victim."

The petition has so far amassed more than 12,000 signatures.

In 1992, Tyson was convicted of raping beauty pageant contestant Washington. Sentenced to six years in prison, he ultimately served three.

NBC had no comment for TheWrap on why the episode was rescheduled. However, an individual with knowledge of the shuffle told TheWrap that, contrary to earlier reports, the rescheduling is unconnected to the fact that One Billion Rising, a protest in support of female abuse victims, is scheduled to take place the day after the original air date.

Tyson has dabbled in show business in recent years, appearing in cameos in "The Hangover" movie franchise, and performing in a one-man show, "Undisputed Truth," which is scheduled to begin a tour next month.

'Dancing On Ice': Gareth Thomas develops foot infection

Gareth Thomas's Dancing On Ice chances could be in jeopardy, as the 38-year-old has developed a foot infection.

The former Welsh international was rushed to a doctor yesterday (January 31) after he woke up with a swollen foot.

According to The Sun, Thomas initially went to Thursday morning's rehearsals before coaches ordered him to have the problem looked at by medics.

The rugby player was later prescribed a course of strong antibiotics, and told to rest until doctors have deemed him fit to return to the ice.

"Gareth woke up [Thursday] morning and his foot was terribly swollen," a source told the paper. "He went to rehearsals but the coaches ordered him straight off the ice. He was taken to a doctor, who diagnosed him with an infection - caused by spending so much time in skates - and prescribed him antibiotics.

"He didn't rehearse today and has been told to come back to the rink tomorrow, when medics will decide whether or not he is fit to skate," the insider continued.

"We are hoping it will not stop him from appearing on the show at the weekend, but it all depends on how well the infection heals over the next few days.

"If he does manage to make it onto the ice it will certainly be very painful for him, so it will almost certainly impact on his performance."

Thomas took to Twitter this morning (Friday, February 1) to joke about the situation.

"Hoping I can get my foot in my boot this morning. No pain no gain!!!!!;(" he told his followers.

A couple of hours later, he posted a picture of a pair of slippers with skating blades with the caption: "Think I may have to wear these Sunday ;)"

It was reported last month that Thomas is considering purchasing a £300,000 ice rink in order to continue with the sport after the competition finishes.

Lifetime Orders 'Witches of East End' Series Starring Julia Ormond, Jenna Dewan-Tatum

Lifetime is going to spend some time in the East End.

The network has given a 10-episode order to the series "Witches of East End," the network said Thursday. The series, which is based on the best-selling novel by Melissa de la Cruz, will star Julia Ormond, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Rachel Boston and Madchen Amick.

Ormond will star as Joanna Beauchamp, the mother of daughters Freya (Dewan-Tatum) and Ingrid (Boston) -- who, unbeknownst to them, are their family's next generation of witches, even as they live seemingly boring lives in the Long Island town of East Haven. That changes, however, when Freya becomes engaged, sparking a series of events that force Joanna to reveal the truth.

Amick ("Twin Peaks") will play Joanna's witch sister Wendy.

"Eastwick" alum Maggie Friedman will write the pilot for the Fox 21-produced drama, with "Mean Girls" director Mark Waters directing as well as executive producing with 3 Arts Entertainment's Erwin Stoff.

The series will premiere later this year.

“We’ve been thrilled about 'Witches of East End' and its powerful premise since the moment we bought the property, and our friends at Fox 21 helped develop it for television," Lifetime Networks' executive vice president, programming Rob Sharenow said of the pickup. "This is one of the most exciting ensemble casts we’ve seen and the whole show is fresh, original and just right for Lifetime.”

"Witches of East End" joins a growing slate of scripted fare for Lifetime, a slate that includes "The Client List," "Army Wives" and the upcoming drama "Devious Maids" from "Desperate Housewives" honcho Marc Cherry.

ITV orders 1960s medical drama 'Breathless' from 'Casualty' creator

ITV has commissioned a new medical drama set in the 1960s.

Breathless will be centred on a group of gynaecologists working in London at the advent of the 'sexual revolution' in 1961, before the legalisation of abortion and the introduction of the contraceptive pill.

"There were some women working in this area and they will be in the series, but gynaecology was a mainly male world at this time," a source told The Guardian.

"This was before the pill and the legalisation of abortion and the 1960s hit the country and it was a totally different world. It was also before Profumo, and there was a lot of covering up going on within the establishment which at the time was relatively immune from scrutiny."

Breathless has been co-created by Paul Unwin (Casualty), who confirmed via the Sofa Productions website website on Friday (February 1) that he will storyline the series and write a number of scripts.

The six-part drama is yet to be cast, but ITV is believed to have set a target premiere date of early 2014.

The BBC's Call the Midwife, based on Jennifer Worth's memoirs of her time working as a midwife in London's East End during the 1950s, has enjoyed continued ratings popularity since its return to screens earlier this month.

Miranda Hart was also recently honoured with the 'Drama Performance: Female' prize at the National Television Award for her work on the series.

TV Tonight 2nd of February 2013

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

48 Hours S26E15: "Live To Tell: The Stranger You Know"
America's Test Kitchen S13E03: "A Taste of Spain"
Bakuman. S03E18: "Season 3, Episode 18"
Ben 10: Omniverse S01E20: "Special Delivery"
Bleach (US) S14E18: "Starrk, the Lone Battle"
Britain's Brightest S01E05: "Episode 5"
Casualty S27E21: "Life Goes On"
Celebrity Ghost Stories S04E27: "TBA"
Chihayafuru S02E04: "Season 2, Episode 4"
Cops S25E06: "Busted #2"
Cops S25E05: "Liar Liar #6"
Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual S01E08: "TBA"
Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual S01E07: "TBA"
D.C. III ~Da Capo III~ S01E05: "The Place I'm Not Alone"
Dan vs. S03E08: "Dan Vs. The Ski Trip"
Enlightened S02E04: "Follow Me"
Fairy Tail S04E17: "100 vs 1"
Girls S02E04: "It's a Shame About Ray"
Green Lantern: The Animated Series S01E20: "Cold Fury"
Hver gang vi møtes S02E05: "Magnus Grønneberg"
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012) S01E17: "Season 1, Episode 17"
Little Busters! S01E17: "Season 1, Episode 17"
Littlest Pet Shop (2012) S01E14: "Topped With Buttercream"
Magi S01E17: "Smile"
Maoyū Maō Yūsha S01E05
Marvin, Marvin S01E09: "Basketball"
Match of The Day S48E28: "Season 48, Show 28"
My Big Redneck Vacation S03E02: "Hippies"
Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru S01E05
Pit Bulls and Parolees S05E05: "TBA"
Pokémon S16E01: "Beauties Battling for Pride and Prestige!"
Power Rangers S20E01: "Mega Mission"
Putous S04E05: "Season 4, Episode 5"
Saturday Kitchen S11E31: "February 2, 2013"
Scorned: Love Kills S01E22: "Blood on the Boardwalk"
Shinsekai Yori S01E18: "Season 1, Episode 18"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) S05E16: "The Lawless"
Stuff You Should Know S01E04: "Make It Rain"
Sugar Dome S01E10: "Cops and Robbers"
Swamp Pawn S01E02: "The Contest"
Take Me Out (UK) S05E05: "Series 5, Episode 5"
Take Me Out: The Gossip S03E05: "Series 3, Episode 5"
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) S01E14: "New Girl In Town"
The Bronson Pinchot Project S02E04: "South Parlor EXT"
The Football League Show S04E23: "Series 4, Episode 23"
The Jonathan Ross Show S04E05
The Voice: La Plus Belle Voix S02E01
UFC PPV Events S21E01: "UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar"
Victorious S04E13: "Victori-Yes"
You've Been Framed S20E21: "Top 100 Talent"
Young Justice S02E14: "Runaways"