Saturday, March 28, 2009

News Round-up: Michelle Ryan, Heigl, Purple Power

Shock pregnancy for EASTENDERS character
EASTENDERS cheese lover Heather Trott gets the shock of her life in a few weeks' time when she realizes that she is pregnant, sparking a 'who's the daddy?' mystery.

Former EASTENDERS star may play Goody in film
Reports are circulating that former EASTENDERS star Michelle Ryan will play Jade Goody in a film about her life. The movie is understood to focus on Jade's days of growing up in south-east London to her appearance on BIG BROTHER and diagnosis with cervical cancer. Actors being considered to play her husband Jack Tweed include Danny Dyer and Sean Maguire.

Heigl says she'll stay if GREY'S will have her
Katherine Heigl, the GREY'S ANATOMY star known for speaking her mind, is happy to stick with the show as long as they will have her. At a party yesterday celebrating GREY'S 100th episode, Heigl said she did not know whether her character, Dr. Izzie Stevens, who is battling cancer, was going to be killed off at the end of this season. According to an AP report, the actress said, "I was assuming that at one point and I got a lot of shrugged shoulders and shakes of the head, so I don't know if that's a yes or a no. No one will tell me and I don't know how this is going to go. I don't know if I live or die. I don't know how Izzie fares." If Izzie does kick cancer, Heigl said she'd gladly remain on GREY'S -- "I'm there," she told the AP -- and called the set "one of my favorite places to be."

Pay cable tests online delivery
Select Time Warner Cable subscribers in Milwaukee are being allowed to stream or download HBO shows at the same time they're airing on TV. No ads. No extra fees. No telling how this might change the cable TV landscape. The service, scheduled to roll out to a broader audience this year, is one of several initiatives championed by Time Warner and Comcast to make episodic programs and movies as ubiquitous online as such broadcast TV shows as DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and THE OFFICE. Despite piracy concerns and the potential to dilute premium content, the efforts are attracting support from other cable operators, TV programmers and new competitors AT&T and Verizon.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS continues hot streak into state playoffs
"This show tugs beautifully at the small-town class system."

ABC off Time Warner in Charlotte?
Charlotte ABC affiliate WSOC-TV has threatened to remove its programming from Time Warner Cable customers unless their unprecedented demands are met. Cox Television, the parent company of WSOC-TV, is trying to use the Charlotte market as leverage to renegotiate unexpired retransmission consent agreements held in other Time Warner Cable markets.

If an agreement is not reached by April 1, WSOC-TV may choose to pull its programming off the Time Warner Cable channel line-up. By law, TWC cannot continue to carry WSOC-TV programming without the station’s consent.

FAIRMAN: Otalia, Purple Power and the new James Spaulding!
Part two of Michael Fairman's GUIDING LIGHT in Orlando report examines the direct connect between the impact of a hot storyline, it's actors and the affects it has on its fans base, and what it's like being the new kid on the block. He has quotes from Crystal Chappell, Jessica Leccia, Frank Dicopolous and Zack Conroy, as well as Otalia fan Crystal Collins.

INTERVIEW: Soap Vet Sean Kanan
Kanan appeared on "Olivia Wilder Times" on March 16 discussing B&B, Y&R, MonaVie and much more.

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